Normalizing Alcohol Use Through Deception – The Industry’s Real Goal Behind “Moderation Week”
Posted on April 07, 2025 in AB InBev, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Deception, Cambodia, Thailand, VietnamThe Asia Pacific International Spirits and Wines Alliance (APISWA) has launched a so-called “Moderation Week” across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand – pushing the tired narrative of “responsible drinking” in a region where the majority either abstain or consume little alcohol. This isn’t public health. It’s a deliberate diversion.
In Cambodia, nearly half the adult population (49.3%) are alcohol abstainers. In Vietnam, the figure is 39%, and in Thailand, 35%. These are not countries with a deep-rooted alcohol norm – but Big Alcohol is trying to manufacture one. Through this campaign, global alcohol giants like Pernod Ricard, Diageo, and AB InBev – all part of APISWA – are normalizing alcohol use where many people currently choose not to use alcohol at all.
The term “responsible drinking” is a public relations smokescreen. It shifts blame onto individuals while protecting the industry’s business model, which depends heavily on high-risk alcohol use. Instead of supporting evidence-based policies – such as advertising bans, higher taxes, or limited availability – the industry invests in soft campaigns that pose no threat to its profits.
By staging this campaign in countries with high abstinence rates and growing health concerns, APISWA is following a well-documented strategy of policy distraction. The goal is not to reduce harm – it’s to prevent governments from adopting real public health measures.
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.