Table 2 Discursive Industry Strategies Identified in the South African SSB Tax Adoption Process

Domain

Practice

• Specific Mechanism Observed in Public Submissions

The economy

Stress the number of jobs supported and the money generated for the economy

• Stress job creation and economic contribution

Expected food industry costs

Policy will lead to reduced sales/jobs

• Stress job creation and economic contribution

Cost of compliance will be high

• Highlight the administrative burden associated with regulation

Frame the debate on diet- and public health-related issues

Stress the good traits of the food industry

• Emphasize existing actions combatting obesity

• Reference philanthropic activities seeking to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and vulnerable communities

Shift the blame away from the food industry and its products, e.g. focus on individual responsibility, role of parents, physical inactivity

• Emphasising that obesity is a complex problem that requires different interventions

Promote industry ́s preferred solutions: education, balanced diets, information, public private initiatives, self

-regulation (reformulation)

• Refer to existing activities such as public-private partnerships to address obesity

• Undertake voluntary actions to reduce obesity