How Diageo Uses ‘Responsible Drinking’ to Deflect Blame for Alcohol Harm” in Uganda

Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL), owned by global alcohol giant Diageo, used the Nyege Nyege Festival to promote the flawed concept of “responsible drinking.” While this message might seem positive, it is a deliberate strategy that shifts the blame for alcohol harm onto individuals rather than addressing the systemic issues fueled by the alcohol industry.

The term “responsible drinking” is a convenient distraction for companies like Diageo. It ignores the aggressive marketing and manipulation strategies that drive increased alcohol use, placing the burden on individuals while protecting corporate profits.

Campaigns like these are designed to make alcohol appear safer and more socially acceptable while portraying the company as a responsible corporate citizen, deflecting attention from the well-documented harm alcohol causes, including road accidents, violence, and economic strain. By focusing on “responsibility,” the industry wants to avoid meaningful and effective alcohol policies that could significantly reduce alcohol harm.

Deception is Big Alcohol’s activity to hinder and obscure public recognition of the real effects of alcohol. The focus of the DUBIOUS FIVE strategy of deception is the public’s recognition of the full extent of alcohol harm, the understanding of the risk caused by alcohol products, and the root causes of alcohol harm and their most effective alcohol policy solutions. Using deception strategies Big Alcohol seeks to fuel cognitive dissonance among the public.

Source:
MBU, Nyege Nyege: Responsible Drinking and Uganda Waragi, available at: https://mbu.ug/2024/11/16/nyege-nyege-responsible-drinking-uganda-waragi/ (accessed 8 November 2024).

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