Alcohol industry lags on mandatory pregnancy warning labels
Alcohol companies are flouting government guidelines to warn mothers of the dangers of drinking while pregnant.
Only 37 per cent of alcohol bottles carry warnings about safe consumption and drinking during pregnancy — almost two years after state and federal governments told the industry to apply them.
An audit by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education has found only 31 per cent of wine bottles and 35 per cent of beer products carry the labels that warn about safe alcohol consumption levels.
State and federal health ministers have given the industry until the end of this year to voluntarily implement the labels.
Spirit and mixed drinks products were the best at complying with the voluntary warning labels with 43 per cent of products using them.
The survey of 251 products by IPSOS social research did find an improvement in labelling, as only 16 per cent of products carried the labels in 2012.
FARE chief executive Michael Thorn says by any measure the alcohol industry has “failed miserably”.
“In two years Drinkwise has only managed to roll out its consumer messages to 37 per cent of all alcohol products. That is simply embarrassing,” he said.
FARE also complains that most of the labels take up less than five per cent of the label and most are sited on the back, bottom or side of the product.
The alcohol industry could not be trusted to implement alcohol warning labels and it was time for the government to legislate to make them compulsory, he said.
They will conduct an independent evaluation before they determine the need for a mandatory scheme.
The Brewer’s Association of Australia contests the findings and says when you measure labelling by market share nine out of 10 bottles and cans of beer now include a pregnancy warning label.
The Distilled Spirits Industry Council says in June 200 million spirit containers had come into Australia bearing warning labels and the largest supplier had warning labels on 85-99 per cent of bottles.
Research shows half of Australia’s drinkers consume alcohol in excess of the nation’s health guidelines.
And the top five per cent of drinkers consume 3090 standard drinks a year.
More than one in three pregnant women are putting their babies’ brains at risk by drinking alcohol and nearly one in 10 consumes five drinks in a sitting.
More than 2600 babies are born with brain damage each year caused by their mother’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 26 September 2013
