Health warnings on alcohol labels in UK are insufficient, says charity

Alcohol brands are failing to include information on product labels about drinking guidelines and the health issues linked with consumption, according to a charity.

Researchers for the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), examined 315 labels across 27 UK locations and found only one one informed the public of the current low-risk weekly drinking guideline of 14 units a week.

The review – encompassing 17 popular brands of beer, cider, spirits, wine and alcopops – was carried out in May, 15 months after the official advice was changed.

Nevertheless, some products contained out of date guidelines (men were previously directed to drink 21 units or fewer), while seven cans of Carling featured Republic of Ireland recommendations.

No labels contained health warnings of specific illnesses or diseases, advised customers to spread their drinking across the week, nor recommended drink-free days – all of which, like the weekly limit, are contained in the chief medical officer’s guidelines.

The AHA, whose members include medical royal colleges, charities, patient representatives and alcohol health campaigners, says its findings make the case for mandatory labelling.

AHA chair prof Sir Ian Gilmore said: “There is something seriously wrong with the system when consumers in the UK are more likely to buy a produce containing the Irish drinking guidelines rather than the current UK ones.

“Self-regulation has failed. Instead of alcohol producers deciding what to include on labels, the government should now require all labels to contain the latest guidelines and information on the health conditions linked with alcohol.”

Among the products whose labels were examined were John Smith’s, Strongbow, Smirnoff, Gordon’s, Johnnie Walker, WKD and Jacob’s Creek. The only product that had the up-to-date weekly guideline of 14 units was a can of Tennent’s lager, although three other cans of the same beverage displayed the old guidance.

The guidelines were changed in January 2016 to reflect evidence linking alcohol to diseases such as cancer and heart disease, with the chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, warning that there was no safe level of drinking for either sex.

Alcohol is linked with more than 200 diseases and injury conditions, including cancer, heart disease and liver disease. Research has found that only one in 10 people are aware of the link between alcohol and cancer, while AHA online polling suggests 82% are not aware of the alcohol guidelines.

Gilmore said: “The public have the right to know about the health impacts of alcohol, so that they are empowered to make informed choices about their drinking.”

On a more positive note, the researchers found that nearly all labels included a warning about drinking while pregnant. Alcohol producers, under a system of self-regulation, decide what to include on labels.

John Timothy, chief executive of the Portman Group, the alcohol industry’s self-regulatory group, said: “Industry self-regulation has had an undeniably positive effect in driving up standards and demonstrating responsibility. For many years, producers have voluntarily chosen to display key health and alcohol information on labels as well as directing consumers to drinkaware.co.uk for independent advice and online tools.

“In response to updated guidance from the Department of Health published earlier this year, the Portman Group has worked with the industry to update best practice for communicating key information – this will be published shortly. As with all guidance changes, a realistic timescale for implementation is being agreed with the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Earlier in 2017 we updated our guidelines on how industry can communicate the latest information on risks of alcohol on labels.

“Groups like the British Retail Consortium and its members have announced that these new labels are already being rolled out across supermarkets. An appropriate transition period is in place to ensure industry can change its labelling in a cost-effective manner.”