Businesses are vital to the economy and can make an important contribution to health improvement. However, unhealthy product industries cause ill health and impede economic growth. This report draws on evidence to highlight some of the common strategies and tactics used by the tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink industries to delay and disrupt policies that improve health and outlines what needs to change. Whilst the examples below are focussed on the industries linked to the three biggest killers in the UK (tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink), they present a common playbook used by other health-harming industries such as gambling and fossil fuels.

Action on Smoking and Health, Obesity Health Alliance and Alcohol Health Alliance are calling for public health policymaking to be protected from the vested interests of the tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink industries. We are calling on UK members of parliament to:
1. Avoid conflicts of interests and reject corporate hospitality (such as tickets to sporting or cultural events) from unhealthy product industries
2. Stand up for your constituents’ health and call on the government to adopt transparent principles for engagement and interaction with unhealthy product industries
3. Equip yourself to challenge common industry arguments that undermine public health How serious are the health harms caused by these industries?