Big Alcohol in the Global South: How Alcohol Companies Target Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Every year, alcohol kills nearly 3 million people worldwide. But while consumption has plateaued in many wealthy countries, the world’s biggest alcohol corporations are aggressively expanding into low- and middle-income countries.
Most of the evidence and case studies in this film draw from research published by BigAlcohol.exposed: https://bigalcohol.exposed/. And the documentary ‘Bitter Grapes’, about human rights abuses in South Africa’s wine regions, can be found here: https://tomheinemann.dk/bitter-grapes-slavery-in-vineyards/
This film investigates how multinational giants like Diageo, AB InBev, Heineken, Carlsberg, and San Miguel are targeting Africa, Asia, and Latin America as their next growth markets.
With young populations, rising incomes and weaker regulation, the Global South has become the alcohol industry’s “new frontier”. But rising consumption has brought rising harm — including links to HIV transmission, tuberculosis, gender-based violence, road traffic injuries, and non-communicable diseases.
Featuring experts and advocates from South Africa, the Philippines, Colombia and beyond, this documentary explores:
- How alcohol marketing targets young people and women – The role of influencer marketing and social media
- Cheap products, sachets and small packaging strategies
- Industry interference in alcohol policy
- Corporate lobbying and political donations
- Water extraction, farming impacts and food insecurity
- Cultural appropriation and sports sponsorship
- Human rights concerns and labour abuses
- How communities are fighting back
From South Africa’s liquor battles to alcohol policy struggles in India and the Philippines, this film reveals how global alcohol companies shape markets, politics, and public health across the developing world.