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Deferred tax assets and liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Apr. 08, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | $ 8,344 | $ 7,952 |  | $ 8,782
Deferred tax assets |  |  | 8,214 | 7,909 |  |
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (7,552) | (5,910) |  | (7,558)
Deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (7,422) | (5,867) |  |
Net deferred tax balance | $ 792 | $ 2,042 | 792 | 2,042 |  | 1,224
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | 2,042 | 1,224 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | 293 | 354 |  |  |  |
Charged to equity | 9 | (83) |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to other comprehensive income | (39) | (289) |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | (1,501) | (47) |  |  |  |
Other movements | (12) | 25 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | 792 | 2,042 |  |  |  |
Offsetting of deferred tax assets and liabilities within the same tax jurisdiction |  |  | 130 | 43 |  |
Deferred tax assets |  |  | 8,214 | 7,909 |  |
Deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (7,422) | (5,867) |  |
Property, plant and equipment [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 189 | 108 |  | 191
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (430) | (390) |  | (622)
Net deferred tax balance | (241) | (282) | (241) | (282) |  | (431)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | (282) | (431) |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | 89 | 74 |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | 5 | 3 |  |  |  |
Other movements | (53) | (10) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | (241) | (282) |  |  |  |
Intangible assets [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 1,351 | 1,469 |  | 1,233
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (5,269) | (3,610) |  | (5,384)
Net deferred tax balance | (2,141) | (4,151) | (3,918) | (2,141) |  | (4,151)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | (2,141) | (4,151) |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | 110 | 605 |  |  |  |
Charged to equity |  | 8 |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | (1,945) | (45) |  |  |  |
Other movements | 58 | 39 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | (3,918) | (2,141) |  |  |  |
Pensions and other benefit obligations of associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 1,137 | 1,078 |  | 1,188
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (340) | (291) |  | (273)
Net deferred tax balance | 797 | 915 | 797 | 787 |  | 915
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | 787 | 915 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | (25) | 308 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to other comprehensive income | (3) | (313) |  |  |  |
Other movements | 38 |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | 797 | 787 |  |  |  |
Inventories [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 2,502 | 2,446 |  | 3,722
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (159) | (287) |  | (474)
Net deferred tax balance | 2,159 | 2,159 | 2,343 | 2,159 |  | 3,248
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | 2,159 | 3,248 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | 212 | (818) |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | (3) |  |  |  |  |
Other movements | (25) | (23) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | 2,343 | 2,159 |  |  |  |
Tax loss carryforwards [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 507 | 255 |  | 273
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (10) | (7) |  |
Net deferred tax balance | 497 | 273 | 497 | 248 |  | 273
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | 248 | 273 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | (164) | (113) |  |  |  |
Charged to equity |  | 75 |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | 408 | 21 |  |  |  |
Other movements | 5 | 31 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | 497 | 248 |  |  |  |
Other assets, provisions and accruals [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross deferred tax assets |  |  | 2,658 | 2,596 |  | 2,175
Gross deferred tax liabilities |  |  | (1,344) | (1,325) |  | (805)
Net deferred tax balance | 1,271 | 1,271 | $ 1,314 | $ 1,271 |  | 1,370
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period | 1,271 | 1,370 |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to income | 71 | 298 |  |  |  |
Charged to equity | 9 | (166) |  |  |  |
Credited/(charged) to other comprehensive income | (36) | 24 |  |  |  |
Impact of business combinations | 34 | (26) |  |  |  |
Other movements | (35) | (12) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period | $ 1,314 | 1,271 |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred tax assets |  |  |  |  | $ 732 |
Deferred tax liabilities |  |  |  |  | (1,713) |
Net deferred tax balance |  | 858 |  |  |  | 858
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | 858 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred tax assets |  |  |  |  | 732 |
Deferred tax liabilities |  |  |  |  | $ (1,713) |
Discontinued operations [member] | Property, plant and equipment [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | 82 |  |  |  | 82
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | 82 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] | Intangible assets [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | 1,403 |  |  |  | 1,403
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | 1,403 |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] | Pensions and other benefit obligations of associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | (123) |  |  |  | (123)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | (123) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] | Inventories [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | (248) |  |  |  | (248)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | (248) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] | Tax loss carryforwards [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | (39) |  |  |  | (39)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | (39) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued operations [member] | Other assets, provisions and accruals [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [line items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance |  | (217) |  |  |  | $ (217)
Movement in deferred tax balance [roll forward] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at beginning of period |  | $ (217) |  |  |  |
Net deferred tax balance at end of period |  |  |  |  |  |

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