www.alkoholpolitik.ch

HEALTH warnings will appear on most beer, wine and spirit products as a result of a liquor industry decision to take voluntary measures after years of government dithering.
The warnings, aimed at young people, pregnant women and problem drinkers will be carried by alcohol products representing 80 per cent of the market, including supermarket chain brands. The interchangeable warnings are: “Is your drinking harming yourself or others?“, “Kids and alcohol don’t mix“ and “It is safest not to drink while pregnant“. An image discouraging drink when pregnant is also available. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 07/13/11) theage.com.au, 07/11/11

Brussels, 5 July 2011 Eurocare Press Release:
Exemption of alcohol from Food Information to Consumers Provision
Eurocare (European Alcohol Policy Alliance) is extremely disappointed with the shape of the Food Information to Consumers legislation which exempts alcoholic beverages from obligation to list its content. This is despite the fact that alcohol is high in calorie content, carbohydrates and certain ingredients used in its production can cause allergies or intolerances. We strongly believe that we all have the right to make informed choices and the current proposal will mean that one will know what is in a bottle of a fruit juice but not in a bottle of alcoholic beverage.
Providing information (about ingredients and energy value per 100ml) would allow consumers to assess the quality of the beverages and keep track of their calorie intake.
Marian Skar, Secretary General of Eurocare, says: ‘We are very disappointed and concerned about the exemption of alcohol from providing information to consumers. Labelling alcoholic drinks would allow consumers to make an informed choice about their diet and health. This is a bitter reminder about the influence of the powerful industry lobbying on the politicians and their failure to give priority to interest of the
people. It really makes us all wonder what is in our drinks, that the industry is so afraid to tell us’. The European Parliament’s decision is not only ignoring the health and letting people take their own informed choice but it is also not in line with EU’s previous declarations. As stated in the EU Alcohol Strategy launched in October 2006: ‘Citizens have the right to obtain relevant information on the impact, and in particular
on the risks and consequences related to harmful and hazardous consumption of alcohol, and to obtain more detailed information on added ingredients that may be harmful to the health of certain groups of consumers’.

Since 2006, Australia has had graphic image warnings on cigarette packages. Now announced this week, the liquor industry is volunteering to label its products with health warnings also. About 80% of alcohol sold in the country will carry the warnings.
According to government statistics, the proportion of people drinking at high risk level has increased from 8.2% in 1995 to 13.4% in 2005, when the last National Health Survey was conducted. The increase has been greater for women. … (Source: Medical News Today, 07/12/11)

The government is receiving a lot of criticism from a number of different health groups based on their refusal to sign up for a „responsibility deal“ regarding alcohol sales in England. The deal created by organizations like Alcohol Concern, British Liver Trust and the Royal College of Physicians is voluntary and encourages the drink industry to label the alcohol units on their beverages and to take on the problem of alcohol abuse. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/14/11) topnews.us, 03/14/11

A push by the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) for health advisory labels to be placed on alcohol containers warning of the dangers of consuming alcohol while pregnant is a step closer.
A Trans-Tasman food labelling review panel has just released its recommendations calling for suitably worded warning messages about the risks of consuming alcohol while pregnant be mandated on individual containers of alcoholic beverages and at the point of sale for unpackaged alcoholic beverages.
The independent panel, commissioned by the Trans-Tasman Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, also recommended generic alcohol warning messages be placed on alcohol labels but only as an element of a comprehensive multifaceted national campaign targeting the public health problems of alcohol in society. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/31/11) voxy.co.nz, 01/31/11

Michigan’s Liquor Control Commission will scrutinize the labels and packaging of alcoholic energy drinks, the Associated Press reported Sept. 18. The regulatory agency is concerned about the health effects of the drinks, and whether they are inappropriately marketed to minors.
„We believe that these products sometimes are misleading people,” said commission chairwoman Nida Samona. The commission will require that companies change the labels or packaging of drinks if regulators believe they do not accurately represent the amount and percentage of alcohol and caffeine they contain.
Companies will have 90 days to make changes. „If they don’t comply, it comes off the shelves,“ Samona said. (Source: Join Together, 9/21/10)

Call on govt review panel for better alcohol labeling VIC: Research released today shows half of all Victorians don’t realise that alcohol causes cancer, prompting the Alcohol Policy Coalition to call for health advisory labels on all alcohol products to better inform consumers.
The Council of Australian Governments is today holding a public meeting in Melbourne to discuss overhauling Australia’s food and alcohol labelling laws.
„People need to know what they are drinking and how it can impact their health so that they can make an informed decision about the drinks they purchase and consume,“ said Craig Sinclair, Director of the Cancer Prevention Centre, Cancer Council Victoria. (Source: Medical News Today, 4/29/10)

U.K.: Alcohol Content Labels Will Replace ‚Misunderstood‘ Units System Under Tory Plans.
„Labels detailing the precise alcoholic content of drinks will replace the ‚misunderstood units‘ system under Conservative plans to warn the public about the dangers of excessive consumption. Unveiling the party’s public health agenda, Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, highlighted the importance of ‚harnessing the power of social norms‘ to combat obesity, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and binge drinking. Greater clarity on food and drink labelling would enable people to adopt healthier lifestyles, he maintained, ‚unleashing a new era of individual and social responsibility‘ that would help to change behaviour. Rejecting the swelling chorus of medical experts demanding minimum pricing controls on alcohol to reduce demand, the party promises significant rises in duty on alcopops, high-strength lagers and ciders. It has also announced that it will use legislation to ban supermarkets selling cheap alcohol as a loss-leader to attract customers into their stores — a policy already introduced by Belgium, France, Portugal and Spain.“ (Source: The Guardian, London, Online, January 13, 2010) Comment: A labour government cannot stand against the alcohol industry, why a conservative government could do it better?