Report recommends warning labels for beer, wine and spirits, but industry fears ‘administrative burden’

The Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction is asking lawmakers to add warning labels to liquor bottles and containers to help you better understand how much alcohol you’re consuming relative to the risks.

in a report Launched Monday, made possible by a financial contribution from Health Canada and open to public comment for four weeks, the center recommends adding labels to alcoholic beverages that clearly describe the number of standard drinks in a container, as well as warnings. health and nutritional information.

The center argues that Canadians need “consistent and user-friendly information at the point of spill to track their alcohol consumption in terms of standard beverages,” adding that they “also have a right to clear and accessible health and safety information.” of the products they buy.

The report details the possible health consequences of alcohol consumption, ranging from colon or breast cancer to heart disease, even in small amounts. The center recommends that people limit their consumption to two or fewer drinks per week to avoid health risks, with three to six drinks per week marking the range that increases disease risk.

(The size of a drink in this context is a 341-milliliter can of beer, soda, or cider at 5 percent alcohol by volume, a 142-milliliter glass of wine at 12 percent alcohol, or a 43-liter liqueur). milliliters with 40 percent. )

Carolyn Hurst, president of Ontario Craft Wineries and owner of Westcott Vineyards, said the wine industry has long been an “advocate for moderation.” While the industry is aware of the potential negative health impacts of alcohol consumption, Hurst said adding additional labels could be an “administrative burden” for Ontario wine producers.

“It is extremely important that the industry is consulted on any new regulation or obligation,” he said.

Alcoholic beverage policy expert Mark Hicken, president and CEO of Alca Intelligence, said he favors “labeling information that is objective and provides useful context for consumers,” including information such as the standard amount of beverages in a container.

However, Hicken said health hazard labeling “is a contentious issue,” due to conflicting results from various studies on alcohol’s risks. “I think it would be difficult to generate fair label statements if they go beyond advocating moderate consumption,” he said.

The report draws evidence from more than 5,000 peer-reviewed studies and aims to update Canada’s alcohol guidelines with the latest health evidence.

In a press release, Alexander Caudarella, executive director of the Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction, said the organization wants “people in Canada to have the latest evidence-based advice on alcohol to help them take informed decisions about their use.

Ken Wong, a marketing professor at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business, told the Star that he expected such labels to be less effective than those that already exist on tobacco and cannabis products.

Tobacco products, he said, have front-and-center labels that smokers see every time they pull out the pack or set it down on a table.

“It’s on everyone’s face,” Wong explained.

With liquor, some may decant their products into different containers or order a drink at a bar, where they may not be exposed to any labeling.

“My suspicion is that it wouldn’t discourage consumption,” Wong said. “It won’t hurt, but it probably won’t have much of an effect.”

Canada has seen the use of liquor warning labels before, although the practice has not been adopted at the federal level. In 2017, Yukon placed warning labels on alcoholic products as part of a federally funded study. The labels were used for a month before the backlash from alcohol brands led to their removal.

Alcohol warning labels are standard in some countries.

Labeling about the risk of drinking during pregnancy is required in Australia, and the US introduced similar warning labels in 1989. The measure also recommended by the World Health Organization as a way of informing consumers about potential health risks.

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