Alcohol Labelling Details Announced

22 August 2011

Alcohol Labelling Details Announced

The Portman Group has today confirmed how the alcohol industry will deliver and monitor its commitment to provide responsible drinking information on 80 per cent of alcohol labels on UK shelves by 2013.

The pledge, made under the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal agreed in March 2011, requires the industry to show clear unit labelling, the recommended daily limits and a warning about drinking when pregnant.   As well as these three compulsory elements, companies are encouraged to include a reference to the Drinkaware website and a message such as ‘please drink responsibly’.  The Portman Group is the industry regulator and will monitor and report publicly on the industry’s progress towards this goal.  The Department of Health will also independently monitor the implementation.

The Portman Group is contacting all companies who signed up to the labelling pledge, as well as those who have previously made a commitment to include health information on labels, asking them to reaffirm their labelling commitment.  Compliance guidance, including examples of best practice labels, and the monitoring process have also been agreed with the Department of Health and are being published today.  A database summarising the pledges, companies and brands involved will be published on the Portman Group’s website at a later date.

Seymour Fortescue, Chairman of the Portman Group said:

“The alcohol industry is firmly committed to providing consumers with information on labels which help them make informed drinking choices.  This will be a challenging target but one that we are determined will be achieved.  We will publish details of the pledges, companies and brands involved on our website to ensure the process is as open and transparent as possible.  We will also appoint an independent third party to conduct the final monitoring exercise.

“The Portman Group will offer an advisory service for companies to check they have all the right elements in place and to offer guidance where needed.  We are also encouraging any companies that have not yet signed up to the Responsibility Deal to consider doing so as we can incorporate new pledges on the database as we move forward.”

A text version of the labelling compliance criteria and monitoring process is copied below or is available to download from the Portman Group’s website :

http://www.portmangroup.org.uk/?pid=38&level=2.