New Report Examines Health-Harming Industry Tactics in Scotland
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A new report from NCD Alliance Scotland examines how tobacco, e-cigarette, alcohol and food industry actors seek to influence public health policy in Scotland. It argues that similar approaches are used across industries selling products linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), to shape political and public debate and oppose measures intended to reduce consumption.
The report draws on academic research, policy consultations, and case studies of industry activity. The report identifies eight common tactics, including challenging evidence of harm, framing the industry as part of the solution, working through third parties, delaying regulation, shaping evidence, leveraging hospitality to build influence, and using corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to build legitimacy.
It found that:
“…nearly 50% of all premature deaths in Scotland could be prevented through public health action – including action on alcohol, tobacco, and obesity.”
NCDs cause around 55,000 deaths in Scotland each year, while the marketing of health-harming products often targets children and their caregivers.
The report recommends stronger transparency and governance around engagement with health-harming industries. It proposes applying and supporting governance measures similar to Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including limiting interactions to those necessary for policy implementation, and requiring industry-supplied evidence to be transparent, accurate, and subject to greater scrutiny.
Read the full report:
- Health Under Influence: The Industry Playbook Behind Scotland’s Preventable Health Harms, NCD Alliance Scotland, 2026
See the Tobacco Tactics pages: