Experts in call over drink label warnings

Alcohol experts in the North East are calling for mandatory health information to be included on bottle and cans.

The call comes after a new investigation reveals that alcohol companies are keeping consumers ‘in the dark’ – with seven in 10 alcohol products on UK shelves not having the Government’s official guidance to keep drinking to a ‘low risk’ level. The investigation was undertaken by the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA).

The audit of alcohol product labels looked at 424 types of wine, beer and spirits and found that nearly a 24% contained the wrong information,withsomefalsely claiming men can drink 28 units a week and women 21. It is four years since England’s Chief Medical Officers announced revised guidelines of no more than 14 units a week for men and women.

Nearly half of the products surveyed (47%) did not have any advice at all.

Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said: “People have a right to know what is in the drinks they consume, but the findings of this investigation show that alcohol companies are still dragging their feet.

“Some are displaying advice which is potentially harmful. “Alcohol is linked to a wide range of medical conditions. This includes seven different types of cancer, heart disease and strokes. “Along with our partners at the Alcohol Health Alliance, we are urging the Government to intervene and force alcohol companies to display the official guidelines and prominent health warnings on their product labels.”