San Miguel’s Expanding Market Power: The Hidden Risks to Alcohol Policy in the Philippines
Posted on September 11, 2024 in San Miguel, Political interference, Promotion, PhilippinesSan Miguel Corporation (SMC) continues to solidify its position as a dominant force in the Philippine market, not only through its alcohol products but also by expanding into critical sectors such as infrastructure, food and utilities. Recent efforts to increase marketing for their alcohol products aim to further boost the company’s market dominance.
This aggressive push raises serious concerns about the potential public health impacts. Alcohol-related harm, including diseases and accidents, remains a significant issue in the Philippines. By intensifying alcohol marketing, San Miguel risks driving higher consumption rates, especially among younger and more vulnerable populations. The company’s extensive resources and influence in multiple sectors make it difficult to implement stricter alcohol control policies.
Furthermore, San Miguel’s involvement in critical infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, and power generation grants it significant political leverage. This could allow the company to influence policy decisions that favour corporate interests over public health initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm. The company’s deep entanglement in both public and private sectors raises important questions about conflicts of interest and the role of corporate influence in shaping national health policies.
Promotion, or any marketing strategies, is Big Alcohol’s activity to drive alcohol availability and acceptability, to perpetuate the alcohol norm, and to place alcohol at the center of people’s thoughts and preferences, communities’ practices, and societies’ customs. The focus of this DUBIOUS FIVE strategy is the people and their beliefs about alcohol products, the public and their attitudes about and behaviour around alcohol products, and the consumers and how much, how often they buy and consume alcohol brands.
Political interference, or lobbying, is Big Alcohol’s activity to eliminate or minimize any alcohol policy effort that would threaten sales and profits. The focus of this Dubious 5 strategy is the decision-makers and opinion leaders with the power to shape and decide alcohol policy decisions. Tactics of political interference are delay, derail, or even destroy alcohol policy initiatives, and to divide coalitions supporting alcohol policy initiatives. Big Alcohol is paying lobbyists and lobby front groups to interfere in public health policy making around the world.
Sources:
- https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/06/06/2360598/smc-food-beverage-arm-boost-market-dominance
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/iansayson/2024/08/07/this-billionaire-beer-baron-wants-to-rebuild-the-philippines