Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, has demanded that Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB) cooperate with the committee’s investigation into the marketing of alcohol to children. In a letter to AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris, Cruz expressed his disappointment with the company’s failure to comply with the investigation and urged them to cooperate.
Cruz shared that he had previously written to Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth on May 17, requesting documents and information regarding allegations that the company was marketing beer to minors through its partnership with social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Cruz highlighted a dissenting opinion by retired Judge Paul Summers in the Code Compliance Review Board (CCRB) review, stating that Mulvaney’s appeal to individuals below the legal drinking age was concerning. Summers also noted that AB should have known about these violations and concluded that Anheuser-Busch had violated the advertising and marketing code by targeting people below the legal drinking age.
Despite Cruz’s initial request for documents, Anheuser-Busch has not provided any information to the Committee. Cruz expressed his concern about the company’s lack of cooperation and urged AB InBev to immediately cooperate with the Commerce Committee’s investigation.
Cruz emphasized that the level of cooperation recieved from AB would impact his assessment regarding broader issues across the company’s brands and whether federal law changes are necessary to prevent the marketing of beer to children. He explained that his May 17th requests aimed to obtain information about how Bud Light selects marketing partners and applies industry guidelines regarding social media.
Cruz pointed out that there are currently no federal laws against advertising alcohol to minors due to the beer industry’s commitment to self-regulation. As the Ranking Member on the Commerce Committee, Cruz emphasized his duty to ensure that the Beer Institute’s private regulatory regime effectively protects consumers, including children. He called on AB to provide a response to his request to aid the Committee’s consideration of potential legislation.
Cruz noted that AB’s response to his initial letter was insufficient, citing the ongoing CCRB review as a reason for not providing any documents. However, Cruz argued that an industry trade association’s review does not replace congressional oversight. He criticized AB’s refusal to cooperate and suggested that it was an attempt to hide information from the Committee’s investigation. Cruz warned that such obstructionist tactics would leave Congress with no choice but to infer AB’s intention to shield incriminating information.
In response, a spokesperson for AB assured that the company was in compliance with the Beer Institute’s Advertising and Marketing Code. They reiterated the company’s commitment to promoting responsible drinking and its history of investing in initiatives to prevent underage drinking and harmful behavior related to alcohol consumption.
The Beer Institute published a report on the Mulvaney controversy that included Cruz’s initial letter and AB’s response. AB emphasized that they do not market their products to individuals below the legal drinking age and that their marketing efforts are directed at adults of legal drinking age.
In conclusion, Cruz called on AB InBev to cooperate fully with the Commerce Committee’s investigation, stressing the importance of congressional oversight and the need to protect consumers, especially children, from the marketing of alcohol.
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