This company profile of Carlsberg reveals the unethical practices of the Danish beer giant. Carlsberg is among the ten biggest beer producers in the world. This Carlsberg company profile provides examples of harmful methods across the categories of political interference, promotion, sabotage, manipulation, and deception – the Dubious 5 strategies.

Introduction

Carlsberg Group is a Danish multinational brewer based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company was founded in 1847 and currently owns 140 brands in its beer portfolio including its signature brand Carlsberg and other international brands like 1664, Afansa, Kronenbourg, Tuborg, Somersby Cider and Neptun.

  • AB InBev is the biggest beer producer in the world.
  • Michel Doukeris is the CEO of AB InBev since July 2021.

Fast Facts about Carlsberg in 2022

  • Total revenue: DKK 70.3 billion (2022)
  • Gross profit: DKK 32 billion (2022)
  • Total volume of beer sold: 231.2 million hl (2021)
  • Lobbying costs: 300,000 – 399,999 € (2022, EU lobbying only)
  • Global beer market share (based on volume): 5.4% (2022)
  • Marketing spend: DKK 5.8 billion (2022)

Carlsberg involvement in front groups

  • International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD)
  • Wine & Spirit Trade Association (through Carlsberg UK)
  • World Brewing Alliance
  • Brewers of Europe
  • The World Federation of Advertisers
  • Confederation of Danish Industry
  • National brewing associations
  • World Economic Forum

Interfering in policy and science 

Carlsberg front groups are designed to advance long-term public relations goals to interfere in both policy and science. 

Source

UNETHICAL PRACTICES by Carlsberg

Sabotage

Top Carlsberg Executives Arrested as Big Alcohol’s Partnership With Russia Backfires

Carlsberg’s reluctance to withdraw their support of Russia has backfired on their own company. According to media reports from the ...

Manipulation

Unveiling the contradictions: Carlsberg’s Collaboration with WaterAid in India

Carlsberg Group and Carlsberg India are starting a collaboration with WaterAid to supposedly help preserve and protect the water in the ...

Sabotage

Exposed: Beer Giants Keep Funding Myanmar Military Junta

Alcohol industry giantsare funding Myanmar Junta’s atrocities through taxes, accordig to new revelations. Justice For Myanmar has exposed ...

Carlsberg Exposed: Beer Giant Participates in Oppression of Uyghurs

The Danish beer giant Carlsberg has been exposed for participating in the oppression of the Muslim minority in China. Carlsberg owns a ...

Cambodia: New Alcohol Law, Including Minimum Legal Age Limit, in the Making

The Cambodian government is discussing a draft alcohol law that includes a minimum legal age limit for alcohol use. For years Big Alcohol ...

Sabotage

Carlsberg, Heineken, AB InBev Slow To Exit Russia Fearing Profit Losses

Big Alcohol giants Carlsberg and Heineken both announced in early April that they will exit Russia. Recently, AB InBev also announced plans ...

BROWSE MORE UNETHICAL PRACTICES by Carlsberg

BIG ALCOHOL IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Whisky brands are very reliant on a small number of heavy, and increasingly ageing, consumers, to provide the majority of volume [...] in the longer term we had to attract more younger drinkers—the heavy- using loyalists of tomorrow [to avoid] the potentially disastrous implications of losing heavy drinkers”.

Source: Research article

“If Miller Lite was to be a large profitable brand we had to attract these young heavy drinkers”.

Source: Research article

To the extent [that laws or regulations or actions against us to substantially curtail the consumption of alcohol, including beer] gain traction, they could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results. For example, the European Union published its Europe Beating Cancer Plan. As part of the plan, by the end of 2023, the European Union has indicated it will issue a proposal for mandatory health warnings on alcohol beverage product labels."

Source: Molson Coors Annual Report 2022

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