Drinks giant Diageo is to become the first alcohol company to start providing “per typical serve” information on alcohol content and nutrition - including calories - on its products.
The company said it believed existing lack of information led to “confusion” among consumers who wanted to know more about both the alcohol content and nutritional value of what they drink.
Diageo said it would now be working with regulators around the world to agree the format of voluntary labels which would provide the information on pack, and it has already won approval in the US for a new “serving facts” panel which will feature on its products.
Under the scheme its Blossom Hill wine brand, for example, would be clearly marked on front of pack as providing 112 calories per 148 ml serving.
Diageo said this and nutritional and alcohol content information about all its products would be provided through its responsible drinking website DRINKiQ.com and/or on-pack in a majority of Diageo’s markets, subject to local regulatory approval, as soon as practicable.
The DH has shied away from calorie labelling on alcohol in the UK, despite the government having previously set out plans, and the European Commission has also delayed a long promised report.
Ian Duncan, MEP for Scotland and Member of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, said: “Today’s announcement from Diageo is a fine example of their commitment to giving consumers the information that they need to make sensible decisions about alcohol.
“Providing both the nutrition and alcohol content of alcohol drinks, in an easy to understand ‘per serving’ format, is a major improvement on the confusing current system, where there are different measurements of alcohol units across the EU. This is a hugely positive step and one that the European Commission should reflect on as it considers how to tackle harmful drinking”.
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