Alcohol Labelling: The Right to Know. This was the 2024 European Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm Campaign
This 2024 European Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm was held from the 2nd to 6th of December 2024 and featured an exhibition stand in the European Parliament’s main building in Brussels. The official launch took place on the evening of the 3rd of December.
Addressing a Critical Question
This year’s campaign centred around a crucial issue: why are citizens not provided with basic information about what is in their alcoholic drinks? In the EU, alcoholic drinks with over 1,2% alcohol are not required to provide ingredients and nutrition information on the label.
The 2024 AWARH campaign was hosted by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and organised by the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), EuroHealthNet, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), United European Gastroenterology (UEG), IOGT-NTO, and Green Crescent, in partnership with the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe.
Target Audience: EU Policymakers
The campaign primarily targeted MEPs and EU policymakers, aiming to raise awareness and promote dialogue on the need for EU population-wide preventive measures to combat alcohol-related harm, such as alcohol labelling.
Hosted in a central space within the European Parliament, the event served as a platform for stakeholders to discuss this critical public health issue, encourage legislative action, and engage with policymakers on a pressing yet often overlooked topic.
A Very Successful Launch
The inauguration of AWARH24 brought together a distinguished panel of speakers and experts who contributed valuable insights into the discussions. Key participants included:
MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and host of the event, emphasised the critical need for mandatory alcohol labelling in the EU to address pressing public health concerns. He highlighted alcohol's established risks as a carcinogen and a significant contributor to cardiovascular diseases. He urged the European Commission to honour its commitment to amend the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) regulation, advocating for greater transparency and empowering citizens to make informed decisions.
Tina Van Havere, Head of Cabinet for the Belgian Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health stated that alcohol consumption, even at low levels, poses serious health risks, yet public awareness remains limited. To address this systemic issue, EU policies must prioritise prevention through mandatory labelling, restrictions on marketing, and pricing policies, as outlined in the European Beating Cancer Plan, to empower citizens with informed choices and reduce harm.
Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Regional Advisor on Alcohol, Illicit Drugs, and Prison Health for the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe. The key messages of her speech are Europeans have the fundamental right to know the contents and health risks of alcoholic drinks, clear and visible labels (not hidden in QR codes or fine print) are essential for informed choices, and alcohol labelling should align with transparency standards applied to other products to empower consumers and promote public health.
Suzanne Costello, President of EuroHealthNet and CEO of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland highlighted the earlier event organised by Santé Publique France and EuroHealthNet, drawing attention to the crucial issue of the well-funded advertising efforts by the alcohol industry, which far surpass public health budgets. This disparity highlights once more the vital need for health information to be under the control of health experts. She expressed pride in the landmark Irish legislation on alcohol labelling and health warnings, describing it as a significant step forward in advancing public understanding of alcohol-related harm, and acknowledged the tremendous support of MEP Andriukaitis in facilitating the passage of this legislation, in his role as former European Health Commissioner.
Peter Rice, President of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare) and of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, UK, emphasised the consensus among civil society organisations on the need for health and nutritional information on alcohol labels, and exposed the reason for the lack of progress in Europe which is due to resistance from influential alcohol industry players. He provided an example of the Scotch whisky industry, which complies with ingredient labelling requirements in markets like China, where consumers are better informed than those in Europe. This demonstrates that the industry can adapt when necessary. He called alcohol labelling a test of the EU's commitment to citizens' health and wellbeing.
Dr Helena Cortez-Pinto (MD, PhD), a specialist in gastroenterology with expertise in hepatology, particularly alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, nutrition, and public health. She represented two of our partners, UEG and EASL. She shares with us the fact that UEG and EASL advocate for stronger alcohol policies, including mandatory labelling, minimum unit pricing, and advertising bans, to reduce alcohol-related harms. They emphasise the importance of informed consumer choices, collaboration with Eurocare and WHO Europe, and building relationships with EU institutions to advance public health across Europe.
Emil Juslin, Director of Advocacy at IOGT-NTO: he highlights the disproportionate influence of the alcohol industry in EU policymaking, evidenced by significantly more meetings with the industry than with civil society. It calls for strengthening civil society's capacity to counterbalance this influence and prioritising citizen-focused policies, starting with measures like mandatory alcohol labelling and the EU Cancer Plan, to promote public health and equity.
Sedef Erçetin Gencosmanoğlu, International Cooperation Manager for the Green Crescent Society, underscores the societal and public health challenges posed by alcohol-related harm, calling for collective, year-round efforts to address this preventable crisis. She highlights the Turkish Green Crescent’s commitment to prevention through education, engagement, and evidence-based policies, urging stricter regulations and broader awareness campaigns to protect future generations and create healthier societies.
A Very Busy Week
Throughout the week, the exhibition booth's strategic location in one of the busiest areas of the European Parliament (so-called “Forum Bar”) ensured high visibility. Every visitor was welcomed and invited to sign our campaign book so we can thank them for showing up and keep track of all engagements during the week. Visitors were invited to ask questions and a discussion started from their interests, curiosities or concerns. All campaign representatives prepared key messages and lines to take ahead of the campaign to ensure a unified and clear message: citizens have the right to know what is in their drink and therefore alcohol labelling must be regulated urgently to stop preventing people from accessing health information.
Key Messages of the Campaign
The 2024 AWARH campaign, “Alcohol Labelling: The Right to Know,” highlights the urgent need for mandatory ingredient and nutrition labelling on alcoholic beverages.
Citizens Want Basic Facts
A European Commission consultation found that over two-thirds of participants believe that alcoholic beverages should have ingredients and nutritional labels. Current voluntary self-regulation by the alcohol industry has failed to address this need, leaving consumers without the essential information required to make informed choices about their health and well-being. Citizens do not want hidden information—they want basic facts.
Health Implications of Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol has a significant adverse effect on health in the EU - it is a causal factor for more than 200 diseases, health conditions and injuries, including seven types of cancer, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. It is responsible for almost 1 million deaths in Europe each year. Furthermore, alcohol exacerbates existing health inequalities, with people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experiencing higher levels of alcohol harm. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption, with even small levels increasing the risk for disease and cancer.
Evaluation and Lessons Learned
Strategic Visibility and Impactful Presentation
The most valuable resource from this campaign is the visibility of our message, that we will leverage in future engagements with all relevant stakeholders, particularly MEPs. While the exact attendance rate is difficult to quantify, it is estimated that hundreds of people observed the booth and its visual materials daily – and dozens read at least one of the key messages. Introducing our work with such a powerful campaign, if recognized, is going to bring immense added value to our reputation, credibility, and expertise. In addition, following up with the policymakers and their teams who visited our stand is crucial, as it gives us the opportunity to build new allies who can advance the relevant legislative files at EU level.
The booth’s balanced presentation — informative without being overwhelming — encouraged visitors to engage even without entering the space. A focused central theme complemented by secondary topics allowed for broader audience appeal while maintaining cohesion. Documentation, particularly the WHO factsheet, was identified as a major success, with its comparative country data generating significant interest.
Close Collaboration Among Partners
The preparation phase for AWARH 2024 demonstrated strong collaboration among partners, with clearly defined objectives that were jointly established. This alignment was critical in ensuring the event's overall success. Weekly coordination meetings proved highly effective for communication, fostering clarity and collective ownership of tasks.
A Digital Success
The overall analysis of LinkedIn’s data for the week of 2–6 December reveals a significant increase in page visitors, with a growth of over 327.3%. The posts that particularly resonated with our audience also led to a remarkable increase of over 800% in new followers. Additionally, the rise in reactions and shares (+1,200%) highlights that the content was relevant, engaging, and valuable.
Acknowledgements
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to each of our partners for their invaluable support in organising this event: EuroHealthNet, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), United European Gastroenterology (UEG), IOGT-NTO, Green Crescent, as well as the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe.
This event would not have been possible without the exceptional support of MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis and his dedicated team, with appreciation for Mr Kasparas Kemeklis (Advisor to MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis) for his outstanding contributions.
Finally, we wish to thank our communication agency, InExtremis, with special recognition to Alain Steinberg and Corinne Guichart, for their creativity in designing the exhibition materials and their remarkable ability to present information in an engaging and accessible manner.
Photos
Here is a selection of images to illustrate the exhibition and its inauguration. Please make sure to always credit "The European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare)" for the images.
1: Informational panels of the WHO Europe on alcohol-related health risks, cancer links, and awareness in Europe.
2: General overview of the AWARH24 exhibition stand.
3: Reception after the official launch of the AWARH24 booth. Networking moment.
4: Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis’s speech
5: Florence Berteletti, Secretary General of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare)
6: MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis shaking hands with the AWARH24 mascot featuring the key message: "Alcohol Labelling: The Right to Know. What is being hidden?"
7: Pins featuring the key message of the AWARH24 campaign: "Alcohol Labelling: The Right to Know."