{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T10:57:21Z","timestamp":1790852241196,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,7,5]],"date-time":"2018-07-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1530748800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Scand J Public Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Aims: This study investigates the lobbying actors of the food and drink industry (FDI), their web lobbying arguments used in the sugar taxation debate and the tactics deployed when facing legislative restrictions on their products to curb the burden of non-communicable diseases in Europe. Methods: A stakeholder analysis was performed to identify the FDI\u2019s actors lobbying against sugar taxation within the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health during December 2015. Qualitative content analysis was applied to assess the FDI\u2019s web lobbying claims related to three main concepts (sugar as a product, sugar\u2019s association with non-communicable diseases and sugar taxation), guided by a framework for corporate political activity. Results: The web site content of a front organization and six FDI lobbyists was analysed. Some new strategies emerged alongside known corporate strategies (\u2018questioning the effectiveness of regulation and promoting benefits of a withdrawal\u2019, \u2018promoting sugar\u2019s good traits and shift the blame away from it\u2019 and \u2018establishing relationships with trade unions\u2019). The lobby tactics were similar to those previously applied by the tobacco industry in Europe, although the argument that sugar is a natural ingredient in many foods was unique to the FDI. Conclusions: The observed tactics and arguments presented by the FDI in opposition to sugar taxation have striking similarities with those previously used by the tobacco industry. An improved understanding of the stakeholders\u2019 mandate and resources and their most important tactics will strengthen the position of public health experts when debating sugar taxation with the FDI, which may contribute to improving population health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1403494818787102","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,7,5]],"date-time":"2018-07-05T06:06:18Z","timestamp":1530770778000},"page":"565-575","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":49,"title":["Lobbying against sugar taxation in the European Union: Analysing the lobbying arguments and tactics of stakeholders in the food and drink industries"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"47","author":[{"given":"Arsenios","family":"Tselengidis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences in Malm\u00f6, Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Lund University, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Per-Olof","family":"\u00d6stergren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences in Malm\u00f6, Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Lund University, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,7,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1403494818787102","unstructured":"Eurostat. Overweight and obesity \u2013 BMI statistics, http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/eurostat\/statistics-explained\/index.php\/Overweight_and_obesity_-_BMI_statistics#Online_publications (2017, accessed 30 November 2017)."},{"key":"bibr2-1403494818787102","volume-title":"Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr3-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2015.04.013"},{"key":"bibr4-1403494818787102","volume-title":"Using price policies to promote healthier diets","author":"World Health Organization \u2013 Regional Office for Europe","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr5-1403494818787102","unstructured":"Chan M. WHO Director-General addresses health promotion conference, www.who.int\/dg\/speeches\/2013\/health_promotion_20130610\/en\/ (2013, accessed 30 June 2016)."},{"key":"bibr6-1403494818787102","unstructured":"Mulcahy S. 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About the EU Pledge, www.eu-pledge.eu\/content\/about-eu-pledge (2016, accessed 28 April 2016)."},{"key":"bibr9-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.appet.2015.07.028"},{"key":"bibr10-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ejcn.2015.52"},{"key":"bibr11-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2013.301800"},{"key":"bibr12-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2013.301832"},{"key":"bibr13-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/01.med.0000432610.96107.f5"},{"key":"bibr14-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1001241"},{"key":"bibr15-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-0009.2009.00555.x"},{"key":"bibr16-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/obr.12289"},{"key":"bibr17-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-016-2955-7"},{"key":"bibr18-1403494818787102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-016-0158-8"},{"key":"bibr19-1403494818787102","unstructured":"Schmeer K. 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