The labeling of alcoholic beverages is still omertous about ingredients and nutritional values, except for beer whose producers have chosen transparency. But times are beginning to change, as the European Commission has finally begun the process of revising Regulation (EU) 1169/11 for the disclosure of information on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverage labeling, moving forward slowly
Ten years after the Food Information Regulation came into force, the labeling of alcoholic beverages (>1.2% by volume) is still exempt from the requirement to inform consumers about ingredients and nutritional values. The Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker had been content with poor commitments from industry lobbies to keep the waivers in place, in 2017. (1) And nothing or almost nothing has changed since then, as is easy to verify on the bottles on the shelf:
– European brewers, like those in Italy long ago, have finally committed to providing the list of ingredients and just the energy value (Kcal) by 2022,
– the spirits industry has declared an even more modest commitment. Report energy value on label(on label) and off label ingredient list (on websites or ingredient register in public establishments) for 66% of total EU market share by 2022,
– wine producers, on the other hand, have made no commitment. Only a few countries, such as France, merely point out the incompatibility of its consumption with pregnancy status. Not even to reveal the addition of ‘alien sugars,’ beet and cane. (2)
Health needs
The exemption granted to the labeling of alcoholic beverages is no longer sustainable, per the Commission led by Ursula Von Der Leyen. Which, in the European Plan to Combat Cancer adopted on 3.2.21, highlighted the role of excessive alcohol consumption in the onset of cancer, as well as obesity and variousNon-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). (3)
Cancer was found to be the leading cause of deaths attributable to alcohol (29 percent) in 2016. Followed by cirrhosis of the liver (20 percent), cardiovascular disease (19 percent) and injury (18 percent), according to European statistics. Therefore, it is hoped that transparent labeling can help consumers understand the role of alcoholic beverages in the diet.
Alcoholic beverage labeling, reform process
The European Commission planned to adopt the proposed alcohol beverage labeling reform in the last quarter of 2022. After completing the impact assessment-which includes input from citizens and social partners (so-called stakeholders)-on the proposed amendment to reg. EU 1169/11 related to this.
Among the recorded comments collected, one from the Ireland-based European Institute for Women’s Health deserves mention.
‘Alcohol consumption is related to more than 60 diseases and health problems. Women do not need to consume as much alcohol as men to run the same risk of contracting certain diseases. High levels of alcohol consumption are linked to an elevated risk of serious diseases such as acute pancreatitis, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, and various mouth and throat cancers‘.
Reform hypothesis and outcome of public consultation
There are three hypotheses for reform :
– status-quo maintenance,
– Introduction of mandatory off-label information (eg. corporate and/or industry representative websites, records in public and/or sales premises),
– termination of exemptions and mandatory labeling of alcoholic beverages, like any other food and beverage.
Comments from citizens and civil society organizations to the public consultation on alcoholic beverage labeling, which concluded in July 2021, are available at this link.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Dario Dongo. Alcoholic beverage labels, Commission confirms exemptions on ingredient list and nutrition table. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 3/16/17, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/etichette/etichette-delle-bevande-alcoliche-la-commissione-conferma-le-deroghe-su-elenco-ingredienti-e-tabella-nutrizionale
(2) Dario Dongo. Wine, sugar unveiled. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 11.10.18, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/etichette/vino-zucchero-svelato
(3) Dario Dongo, Andrea Adelmo Della Penna. Coronavirus, why eliminate or minimize alcoholic beverage consumption. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 6.4.20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/coronavirus-perché-eliminare-o-ridurre-al-minimo-i-consumi-di-bevande-alcoliche
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
 1169/11 for full labeling of alcoholic beverages.){kind=link}