EUROCARE response to the Commission Consultation paper on labelling

In February 2006, the Commission issued a Consultation on labelling that included a section on labelling of alcoholic beverages.

In its response EUROCARE made the following recommendations to the Commission:

• Legislation on labeling of alcoholic beverages should provide for requirements to be fulfilled rather than for guidance to be followed.

• Legislation should be prescriptive on format and size of the text on alcohol labels. The format and size of the text shall be such as to make the information perfectly legible to the average consumer. To that end, information on alcohol labels should be indelible, distinct and easy to read.

• Each unit packet and package of alcoholic products and any outside packaging and labeling of such products should contain information on:

- alcohol concentration (% by volume);

- alcohol content (i.e. total grams of alcohol in the container),

- ingredients, knowledge of which might be useful to some people with certain allergies, such as the sulphites, and other relevant nutritional labeling, like calories.

• Health warnings on alcoholic beverages containers should be made mandatory. These health warnings should focus on the risk of dependence and on the harmful effects of alcohol during pregnancy, when driving, operating machinery or taking antibiotics.

To read the full version of the EUROCARE response click here