Warning labels to be added to all alcoholic drinks in UK

The Government is to introduce health warnings on alcohol bottles to help people make "more informed choices". Labour's 10-Year Health Plan includes a pledge to expand guidelines for alcohol labelling with nutritional information and health warning messages. This will bring alcohol labelling in line with the existing requirements for tobacco, food and alcohol-free drinks.

Baroness Merron, the pariliamentary under-secretary for health and social care, confirmed this in a written response, but did not say when the rule would come into effect. She was responding a question by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, deputy speaker of the House of Lords, regarding the Government's plans for "alcohol industry messaging" to reduce its harm.

While she stopped short of committing to cancer warning labels, which campaigners have been calling for, Baroness Merron said the move will help people make healthier choices.

She wrote: "The recently published 10-Year Health Plan includes a commitment to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.

"A mandatory requirement will bring alcohol labelling in line with existing health and nutritional labelling requirements for tobacco, food and alcohol-free drinks.

"This will ensure greater public awareness of the health risks of alcohol consumption and help consumers make more informed, healthier choices."

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recently called for beer, wine and spirits to warn drinkers that alcohol causes cancer.

It wrote to Sir Keir Starmer, urging him to instruct alcohol producers to implement the "bold and unambigous" warnings and improve public health.

The letter states: "The evidence is clear: health labelling on alcoholic drinks is urgently needed in the UK to help save lives.

"They should carry strong, clear messages about the health risks, which include the risk of cancer, far beyond vague advice like 'consume in moderation'."