Global Alcohol Producers Group

The Global Alcohol Producers Group

This article is part of the Spinwatch public health oriented Alcohol Portal project.

was established in 2005 by international alcohol companies representing interests in beer, wine and spirits. The trade group was formed to lobby the WHO as it prepared a report on ways to reduce alcohol-related injuries and deaths for the 2007 World Health Assembly. They claim to provide:

a channel for the World Health Organisation (WHO), member state governments and stakeholders of the WHO to engage in constructive dialogue with some of the leading alcohol beverage companies on health problems caused by harmful drinking patterns. The companies are deeply committed to continuing to work in partnership with WHO Members and other stakeholders to prevent and mitigate alcohol abuse and misuse effectively.

Lobbying

The Group paid Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld $240,000 in 2007 to lobby on alcohol-related issues at the World Health Organisation. They also spent $12,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby the Washington-based WHO, according to a disclosure form the Senate's public records office. A further $120,000 was paid to Akin Gump during the first six months of 2007 to lobby on the same issue. Global Alcohol Producers Group also lobbied Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services. Lobbyist Daniel Spiegel, the former U.S. envoy to the World Health Organization, is among those registered to lobby on behalf of Global Alcohol Producers.. In 2009 the group paid $20,000 to Covington and Burling, Daniel Spiegel's firm.

Members

Corporate

• Asahi
• Bacardi-Martini
• Brown-Forman
• Constellation Brands
• Diageo
• Foster's
• Heineken
• InBev
• Kirin
• Molson Coors
• Pernod-Ricard
• Sapporo
• Suntory
• UB Group

Trade Association Members

• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS)
• European Spirits Organisation - CEPS
• Brewers of Europe
• Beer Institute
• Brewers of Europe
• Brewers Association of Japan
• British Beer and Pub Association
• Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins
• Distilled Spirits Association (New Zealand)
• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS)
• Federacion Espanola de Bebidas Espirituosas
• Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)
• Wine Association – Slovenija
• Wine Federation of Australia
• Wine Institute
• Worldwide Brewing Alliance
• World Spirits Alliance
• World Wine Trade Group

Alcohol Policy Think Tank Members

• International Center for Alcohol Policies