Tough new drink limits you won’t see on the bottle

TOUGH new guidelines on how much alcohol we should consume won’t be displayed on most bottles and cans as the drinks industry ignores ministers’ demands.

Many drinks firms are keen to avoid printing the latest guidance on alcohol units on labels – meaning they could profit as drinkers adhere to previous less strict advice.

Health experts have described the refusal to update labels as ‘irresponsible and unethical’ due to the health risks associated with alcohol, particularly cancer.

The Government published the stricter recommendations last year. The advice said men and women should drink no more than 14 units a week, or seven pints of beer. The previous maximum for men was 21 units a week but advice for women did not change. The new guidance also said there was no ‘safe level’ of consumption and recommended spreading units across the week.

The Portman Group, the body that represents the drinks industry, has advised its members they only need to print the Drinkaware website address, where the updated information can be found. Most companies are expected to fall in line with this message.

Consumer group Drinkers’ Voice said the industry’s decision not to print the guidance means the advice is ‘dead in the water’.

But the Government has told firms it expects them to include the guidance on the labels. It has given manufacturers until September 2019 to remove the old advice but they are under no obligation to do so. The Portman Group said labels should include information about drinking in pregnancy, number of units in the bottle and the Drinkaware website.

Health experts accused the alcohol industry of ‘denying people the information they need’.

In a letter seen by the Mail, 25 health leaders demanded the Government make the labels compulsory. The document said: ‘With alcohol-related hospital admissions standing at over one million a year, this is clearly very concerning.’ It included signatures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, the Royal College of Physicians, and the Royal Society for Public Health.

John Timothy, CEO of the Portman Group, said: ‘Producers are encouraged to feature proactive signposting to Drinkaware.co.uk, where consumers can find a full range of health information.’

A government spokesman said it had provided ‘clear advice and examples’ of how best to display the updated guidance.