Double Standards Alleged in Health Policy Lobbying

LONDON, United Kingdom – British American Tobacco (BAT), a UK-headquartered multinational, is facing accusations of “utter hypocrisy” after a letter revealed its Zambian subsidiary lobbied government ministers to abandon or significantly weaken a proposed public health bill. The proposed regulations in Zambia, which include bans on tobacco advertising, restrictions on flavoured products, and large graphic health warnings on packaging, are largely established law in the United Kingdom, where BAT is based.

The letter, sent by BAT Zambia to government officials and seen by international media outlets, specifically requests the abandonment of a ban on advertising and sponsorship. It also proposes reducing the size of graphic health warnings from the proposed 75% of the package to between 30% and 50%. In contrast, UK law has mandated since 2016 that warnings cover 65% of the front and back of cigarette packs. Furthermore, BAT has lobbied for the removal of restrictions on flavoured tobacco products in Zambia, despite a ban on all flavoured cigarettes, including menthol, being in effect in the UK since 2020.

Public health advocates have condemned the move. Master Chimbala, a Zambian anti-tobacco campaigner, stated to The Guardian on Wednesday, 12th November 2025, that the company's actions “permit the protection of the British people and perpetuate the death of the Zambian people.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 7,000 Zambians die from tobacco-related illnesses annually. The WHO has also recently warned of intensified efforts by the tobacco industry to weaken global control measures.

A Region-Wide Strategy to Weaken Controls

BAT's actions in Zambia are not isolated but are indicative of a broader strategy of industry interference across Africa, a continent viewed as a key growth market. The African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has repeatedly ranked Zambia, alongside Tanzania, as having the highest levels of tobacco industry interference on the continent. This interference has contributed to significant delays in public health legislation. Zambia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2008, yet its comprehensive domestic law, the Tobacco Control Bill, has been stalled for years, with the latest deferral in July 2025 causing public outcry from health groups.

In neighbouring countries, including Kenya and Uganda, BAT has a documented history of using legal challenges, high-level lobbying, and economic pressure to delay and dilute tobacco control regulations. In Uganda, BAT has been accused of using its economic influence over tobacco farmers to lobby against anti-smoking laws. In Kenya, the company has repeatedly used the court system to challenge regulations, including those concerning graphic warnings and a fund for tobacco control. More recently, BAT Kenya has lobbied the government to slash proposed tax hikes on its nicotine pouches, Lyft.

A spokesperson for BAT Zambia stated that the company “conducts its business in compliance with applicable local laws” and participates in the legislative process to advocate for progressive regulation, adding that their proposals “reflect the realities of the Zambian market and tobacco industry, which includes rising levels of illicit trade”. This argument, blaming strict regulation for a rise in illicit trade, is a common tactic used by the industry across the region. However, health advocates counter that such arguments are a smokescreen to protect profits at the expense of public health, noting that stronger regulations in countries like Kenya and South Africa have not led to the collapse of tobacco companies.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

The aggressive lobbying in Zambia has direct implications for Kenya and the wider East African region. Divergent regulatory environments, where one country has weak laws and another has stronger ones, create opportunities for cross-border smuggling of cheaper, less-regulated tobacco products. This undermines the public health gains and tax revenues of countries with more stringent policies. For instance, differing excise tax regimes between Kenya and Tanzania have already been identified as a driver of illicit trade.

Should BAT's lobbying in Zambia succeed, it could create a precedent that emboldens similar efforts to roll back or stall legislation in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The WHO has noted that industry fingerprints are evident on stalled legislation across the globe, including in Zambia. For Kenya, which has its own robust Tobacco Control Act of 2007, the regional pressure could complicate enforcement and future legislative enhancements. The ongoing battle highlights a fundamental conflict between the commercial interests of multinational tobacco firms and the public health obligations of sovereign African nations, a struggle that continues to cost thousands of lives annually across the continent.