About: Big Alcohol

Plain packaging: ‘Brand-theft’ or better consumer protection?

The rising trend of imposing plain packaging on unhealthy products has raised eyebrows in the industry, which fears that its brands are under threat. The World Health Organisation, on the other hand, insists that the measure provides a long-term benefit for public health.

Alcohol labelling proposal fails to end debate on calories

The alcohol industry presented on 12 March their self-regulatory proposal on labelling, focusing on “flexibility” for wine, beer, spirits and cider. Alcohol makers will be free to decide whether to place information on the label, online or both.

Off-label proposals for alcohol labelling are not enough

Nutritional information should be clearly marked on the labels of alcohol products, and the off-label proposals being put forward by industry are not sufficient, writes Professor Markus Peck-Radosavljevic.

Alcohol industry’s labelling proposal prioritises ‘flexibility’

Producers will decide how best to convey alcohol information – either on the label and online or just on the internet, EURACTIV.com has learnt.

Pernod Ricard CEO: Alcohol tax ‘penalises’ responsible consumers

The decision to raise excise taxes on alcohol “penalises” the majority of consumers who drink responsibly, while those who have issues with alcohol will be unaffected as they will keep on drinking excessively, Alexandre Ricard told EURACTIV.com in an interview.  

‘Responsible Party’ campaign tries to rekindle EU alcohol debate

It takes willingness from all sides in order to make the EU's Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF) effective, a European Commission official has said, urging businesses and health NGOs to return to the discussion table.

‘Responsible Party’ has some impact on students’ drinking habits, report finds

'Responsible Party', an awareness-raising campaign against the excessive use of alcohol, has helped students consume less alcohol and improve their habits by drinking water too, a study has found.

Alcohol makers brace for EU-wide mandatory labelling

Makers of spirits and beer are exploring self-regulatory solutions to show consumers the ingredients contained in the alcohol they drink. However, they find the Commission's timeline "too tight" and fear mandatory rules will eventually be imposed on them.

Don’t be fooled by CETA: It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing

In his State of the Union speech, Jean-Claude Juncker called the Canada-EU trade agreement the most progressive trade agreement the EU has ever negotiated. It actually poses a genuine threat to the health sector, argues Emma Woodford.