Plans outlined in an All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse manifesto could pave the way for changes in the law regarding the information displayed on alcohol labels.
The 10-point manifesto looks at a range of ways to combat alcohol misuse in the UK, which according to the manifesto, results in 1.2 million people a year being admitted to hospital due to alcohol at cost of £21 billion to the economy.
The changes would include a health warning on all alcohol labels and deliver a government-funded national public awareness campaign on alcohol-related health issues
Health warnings are already a familiar and prominent feature on all tobacco products and the group wants to bring the detailed nutritional labelling found on food products and soft drinks to alcohol products too, which currently extends no further than the volume strength and unit content.
The report stated, ‘In order to inform consumers about balanced risk, every alcohol label should include an evidence-based health warning as well as describing the product’s nutritional, calorific and alcohol content.’
All Party Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The report was researched by Alcohol Concern.
