The Portman Group, the alcohol industry's social responsibility body, has said alcohol producers are on track to deliver their pledge to provide health information on 80% of alcohol labels by the end of December 2013.
As part of the Government’s responsibility deal, alcohol producers have committed that three core labelling elements - clear unit content, NHS guidelines and a warning about drinking when pregnant - will appear on 80% of drinks. A Drinkaware link and responsibility statement are optional.
The Portman Group, who were given responsibility for monitoring the pledge, say current compliance is over 60%, with 18 months still remaining. More companies are expected to confirm their pledges in the coming months.
The industry has attempted voluntary agreements to improve alcohol labelling in the past, but failed to make real progress. A 2010 independent report said just 15 per cent of drinks give consumers sufficient information as per the voluntary code, whereas an Alcohol Concern report Message on a Bottle put the figure at only 4% of the products reviewed.
See here for the alcohol network's full alcohol pledges, which include commitment to the removal of a billion units, preventing under-age sales, the development of a new sponsorship code requiring the promotion of responsible drinking, and support for schemes such as Best Bar None and Community Alcohol Partnerships.
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