Calls for all drinks to carry warnings

Ministers are preparing to get tough with the drinks industry in a bid to curb Scotland's binge-drinking culture.

The Scottish Government wants manufacturers to start clearly labelling the strength of alcoholic drinks to better inform drinkers of the risks they are taking. If steps are not taken voluntarily, ministers will look into forcing producers to display the information, such as the number of units in a bottle of wine.

The pledge is made today by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Health Secretary, ahead of Scotland's first Alcohol Awareness Week - an initiative organised amid concern people do not realise how much they are drinking. It also comes as doctors make fresh demands for better liquor labelling.

The British Medical Association Scotland, which represents doctors, wants new legislation to force the industry's hand.
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Dr Peter Terry, chairman of BMA Scotland, said: "Much more should be done to promote sensible, moderate drinking and to move away from the cultural norm of drinking to get drunk.

"The only way that individuals can keep a check on their own drinking patterns is to have access to clear information about what they are consuming.

"By legislating for standardised labelling on all alcohol products, we can avoid mixed messages and help people to make informed choices about what they drink."

The toll alcohol is taking on Scotland's health has become increasingly apparent in recent years. In February a report revealed Scots are drinking themselves to death at twice the rate of people elsewhere in the UK. Male liver cirrhosis mortality rates were 2.5 times those for England and Wales in 2004.

The number of women dying from drink-related diseases in Scotland has more than doubled in 20 years.

Despite this, policy-makers have tended to choose to work with the industry to promote sensible drinking, rather than force change. However, responding to Dr Terry's comments, Ms Sturgeon says today: "We want the alcohol industry to ensure the information people need to know to help gauge how much they're drinking is easily identifiable. That information should be on drinks labels.

"Legislation on this is reserved, but if there are no voluntary developments from the industry, we will enter into discussions with Westminster on how we can strengthen the rules."

Improving labelling is supported by campaign group Alcohol Focus Scotland.

Jack Law, chief executive of the organisation, said: "Alcohol Focus Scotland agrees that the unit content, set in the context of the sensible drinking guidelines, should appear on all alcohol labels to help people better understand how much they are drinking. We also want to see health warnings on labels, particularly for at-risk groups such as pregnant women.

"There seems to be growing concern about what nutritional information appears on food packaging, but far less concern about information on the strength and effect of alcoholic drinks." The Portman Group, the social responsibility body set up by drinks producers, said its members already give details of alcohol units on products.

David Poley, chief executive, said: "Portman Group companies have pioneered ground-breaking initiatives to educate consumers about responsible drinking.

"They all unit label their drinks and promote responsible drinking on containers, brand websites and advertising."

The Herald