Labelling the Point
As Dry January draws to a close, RSPH is proposing a new approach to the way alcoholic drinks are labelled in the UK, in response to what it calls an “alcohol health awareness vacuum”.
What we're calling for
RSPH is proposing a new approach to the way alcoholic drinks are labelled in the UK, the proposed scheme includes:
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Mandatory inclusion of the Government’s low-risk drinking guidelines of no more than 14 units a week, potentially including an explicit cigarette-style warning of the link with health conditions such as bowel and breast cancer.
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A drink drive warning on the front label – our research indicates explicit warnings such as these are especially prioritised by young drinkers and more deprived socio-economic groups [4].
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Calorie content per container or per serve on the front label – our research indicates this could result in an almost 10% swing in consumer purchasing decisions from the highest alcohol drinks to the lowest, within all main drink categories and across all socio-economic groups.
Less than one in six
people are aware of the Government's low-risk alcohol guidelines
Figures show that
one in ten
are aware of the link between alcohol and cancer
80%
of people are unable to correctly estimate the calories in a glass of wine
What would it look like in practice?
