The easy availability of liquor creates an environment where people are more likely to fall to alcoholism.
That's how I view the selling of a lot of unhealthy products - corporations creating a hostile environment, where you are more likely to succumb to your vices, for their profit. E.g. candy and chocolate placed at the checkout line.
But any business that refuses to do this, will lose money and fail to compete with those that do. Eventually, they'll get bought out by the company that does.
It's up to government to regulate this stuff - a business is supposed to maximise profit.
Why? As stated, the government is supposed to regulate this stuff - that is partly why government exists.
And this is by design. When regulation is proposed, it can them be publicly debated - rather than leave those decisions to whoever runs a particular business.
> In actual human societies, businesses are also supposed (whether they are or not is another story) to be ethical and improve society.
Says who?
> And most of them pay lip service to that all the time, in their ads, promotional copy, motivational speeches to employees, etc.
Which is apparently what the consumer wants..
Notice how politicians tell the public what they want to hear? Well, the public too rarely take them to task. You get what you vote for..
If they raised their prices, they'd be critisised; If they lowered their prices, they'd be critisised.
Is the medical/insurance industry bad too? Don't all industries solve some problem?