NEWS ANALYSIS: Message on a bottle

The UK government is seeking a standard label format, but is this the most effective way to combat problem drinking or warn pregnant women? Patrick Schmitt considers the plans

In a move that explicitly proves attempts to curb alcohol-related problems are high on the political agenda, the government has proposed a standard format for the labelling of all alcoholic drinks sold in the British market. Suggested is a prominent box, preferably 15% of the back label, with a series of four legible messages, including a sensible drinking phrase such as “know your limits”, the alcohol content in units, a warning for women who are pregnant and the address for the Drinkaware website.

Currently the adoption of this format is voluntary and Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) believes the government will assess the level of implementation at the end of 2008. One fears – as Christopher Carson, chairman of the WSTA, warned the trade last October – that unless the industry regulates itself the government will.

However, it is widely felt that adding warnings to drinks labels brings the trade uncomfortably close to the tobacco industry, despite the fact that there are safe levels of alcoholic drinks consumption, unlike tobacco. Nevertheless, Carson drew parallels with tobacco in his lecture for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

He pointed out that tobacco-caused illness costs the UK £1.7 billion per year, the same as drink-related illness. And the penalties for tobacco have been severe: in 1965 there was a TV ban on tobacco advertising, followed by health warnings on packets and print advertising, and later restrictions on sports sponsorship. Then, between 1999 and 2005, the department of health spent £96.6 million on advertising the dangers of smoking.

However, while it is important that the industry accepts the damage that excessive drinking is doing to individuals (see this month’s interview on pages 16-20 with Alcohol Concern’s Srabani Sen) and employs measures to combat the problem, there are several aspects to the labelling proposal that need clarification before widespread adoption. It is also worth asking whether labels are the best place for sensible-drinking messages and if on-product warnings alone will be effective.

Firstly, the practical concerns. The proposed size of the boxed messages is not insignificant and must be legible, and hence there are worries when it comes to smaller format bottles, for instance ¼ bottles of wine, or spirits miniatures. Some fear the amount of information could be hard to fit on bottles. On the other hand, reducing the size of the box would make it hard to read. 

Then there’s the warning for pregnant women. The government’s current advice is that pregnant women can drink up to two units per week but the suggested label makes it clear pregnant women should “avoid alcohol”. As Beadles at the WSTA points out: “Either the government is changing its policy or there is a different message. Perhaps there has been a scientific change? Or are we saying that pregnant women can’t handle the moderation message?” Further, Beadles points our that “the government’s own research has shown that the pregnancy message on the back label is not the best place for it”.

Effective method
This latter point calls into question whether warnings on drinks packaging are effective. As James Fortescue, director general of CEPS, The European Spirits Organisation, says: “I’m not sure the label is the right place for a warning or sensible drinking message because if you’ve got to the stage where you’ve already bought the bottle, then you could say it’s too late. Also, in the on-trade quite often you don’t see the bottle. The evidence suggests that the best people to convey the message are those from the medical profession.”

Certainly Beadles believes “there are better ways to combat binge drinking – for instance through education – and labelling, if looked at in isolation, will have little impact.” And considering the high cost of adopting such suggestions, it is important to ensure they are effective. “If this was legislation then you would do a cost-benefit analysis,” explains Beadles.

Finally, there’s the issue of coordination on labelling requirements across Europe. In France, by October this year, all alcoholic drinks must include a logo warning women of the dangers of drinking when pregnant, while Scandinavian countries and Poland are currently considering labelling legislation in relation to a number of issues.

“Soon,” Beadles fears, “there will be 27 different labels for Europe. It will kill free-market economics and disproportionately affect small businesses.”

Nevertheless, Fortescue feels that “it is a bit premature for Europe-wide regulations. Warning labels are still a small phenomenon and have been blown out of proportion. Presently it is only one country – France – out of 27 in Europe that is requiring a warning by law.

“Finland and Poland are talking about doing something at the moment but that still means 24 are doing nothing. A pan-European voluntary initiative doesn’t make sense just yet.”

Taking responsibility

Fortescue also makes the point that “as a spirits industry we have said that 75% of all advertising will contain responsible drinking messages by 2010 because we believe the responsible drinking message is better communicated in advertising – we are not sure the label is appropriate because of limited space and language implications.”

On a different note, there’s also the issue of nutritional and ingredient listings on alcoholic drinks. Fortescue is waiting on the European Commission who have promised new food labelling proposals by the end of the year. He says: “We maintain that spirits should be treated in the same way as other foodstuffs and would not oppose the proposals being extended to spirits. Also, European level legislation is a good idea, and ingredient listing requirements exist in other markets – for example, in Italy you have to label flavourings for liqueurs.”

Nutritional guidelines are also likely to be covered by EC proposals. However, Fortescue notes that “these should be communicated in a way that is meaningful to the consumer – there’s little point in saying if you drink a bottle of whisky you’ll get fat. You will have lots of other problems before you put on weight.”

Also, again there’s the issue of overcrowding the label and many suggest directing consumers to websites, something included in the UK proposals with the addition of www.drinkaware.co.uk.

Certainly Beadles makes the valid point that: “With labelling about health warnings, nutrition and allergen information, you would need an A4 booklet. And does the consumer really need to know, for example, about bentonite filtration? Also, what about fining agents? They are not in the end product.”

Overall, there is a danger that too much information on labels will mean each individual message will have little impact. Furthermore, messages to encourage a responsible attitude to drinking are unlikely to be effective if printed on the product alone. One must ask, therefore, that if such an approach is expensive and not proven to be effective, why do it? The most persuasive argument is that the alternative for the drinks industry on non-adoption will almost certainly be more damaging – anything from hikes in taxation to severely restricting alcohol advertising.

© db April 2007

Insiders’ opinion

Are labels the best place to spread a responsible drinking message? What are the implications of changes? And how do you hope to meet the labelling requirements of different countries?

Howard Winn, quality manager for beers, wines and spirits, Sainsbury’s
“Sainsbury’s has been in the forefront of supporting the Department of Health proposed guidelines for sensible labelling of alcohol.  This is very much in line with our aim to inform customers in as easy a way as possible regarding health and nutrition on all food and drink products. We already have adopted a DoH styled ‘Know your limits’ type unit of alcohol label on our recently launched spirits lines.

“Labels are probably the best way to inform consumers as to alcohol consumption. Sainsbury’s have had units of alcohol information on our alcoholic beverages for many years. DoH research has suggested that consumers recognise units of alcohol but do not understand how many units they should be consuming at a sensible level.

“Yes there are cost implications to any change of label design. Obviously we have just changed all the spirit labels to accommodate spirit tax stamps and before that to add allergen details on all beers, ciders and wines.

“From a retailer perspective, at this stage we are only concerned with the sale of products in the UK. However, even that raised some interesting points as the Scottish health authority and the DoH had different views on the consumption of alcohol and pregnancy.

“For our French store we are having to implement the use of the ‘crossed out’ pregnant woman logo on all alcoholic products.

“We will be following any EU instruction on ingredient listing for alcoholic products and we will be feeding comments on any proposed legislation through our trade organisations.”

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive, WSTA
The WSTA believes that labelling can play an important, but limited, role in helping consumers make informed choices about alcohol consumption. Labelling can only be effective if the government is successful in explaining their sensible drinking advice to consumers. Problems related to misuse of alcohol are complex and labelling alone will not succeed in tackling them.

“The cost implications of repeatedly changing labels to meet new regulatory and best practice requirements are substantial. The WSTA is currently working on a project with FIVS (Federation International des Vins et Spiritueux) to provide an estimate for these costs with the aim of developing a cost-benefit analysis.

“Our members are currently being required to adhere to a whole range of labelling initiatives, ingredient listing, ‘contains sulphites’, etc. In addition, more and more countries are beginning to develop national requirements for health advice. This has very serious implications for the free movement of goods in the European marketplace and we believe that a common solution is the only way forward.”

Vicki Nobles, corporate relations director, Diageo GB
“Diageo is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to information about our brands in order to make informed choices about what they drink. We are fully involved in ongoing discussions with the Department of Health and the industry regarding the Department’s proposals on alcohol labelling.

“In 2004, Diageo developed a global consumer information policy that set out our commitment to provide clear and factual guidance for consumers on the product content of Diageo-owned alcohol beverage brands, as well as responsible drinking reminders. The consumer information policy covers nutrition information, allergens, alcohol content/serving size and responsible drinking messages. This information will be shared on labels, secondary consumer packaging and consumer channels, for example our global website, www.knowyourdiageodrink.com.

“We believe that labeling will only be effective if it is part of a coherent package of consumer communication around responsible drinking including programmes, interventions, websites and other resources.”

Campbell Evans, director of government and consumer affairs, The Scotch Whisky Association

“The Scotch Whisky industry is committed to working with governments at home and abroad to encourage responsible attitudes to alcohol consumption. Labelling is part of a much bigger communications exercise, and can only be fully effective within the context of committed government communications that clearly articulate the sensible drinking message, and in conjunction with targeted interventions directed at those most in need of receiving appropriate health messages from medical and other professionals. Spirits companies have recently undertaken expensive redesign of their labels to accommodate UK duty stamps.

“Government needs to recognise this, and allow an appropriate rollout of any further label information to allow companies to effect change as part of the normal rejuvenation or redesign process, rather than imposing additional costs on industry so soon. We would urge government to take a joined up approach to delivering consumer information, taking account of UK and European developments, otherwise label information overload will confuse, not aid consumers.” 

© db April 2007