Warnings on alcohol containers and advertisements: International experience and evidence on effects

Abstract

Alcohol warning labels are an increasingly popular alcohol policy initiative. It is clear that warning labels can be ineffective, but the tobacco experience suggests that effective warning labels are possible. Any introduction of alcohol warning labels should be evaluated in terms of effects on attitudes and behaviour.

Australian alcohol policy 2001–2013 and implications for public health

“…In 2011, Australia’s largest brewers, wine makers and spirits s opted to voluntarily place warning labels on their alcohol products [54]. These labels feature a pictogram indicating that pregnant women should not consume alcohol, as well as one of a number of interchangeable statements such as ‘it is safest not to drink while pregnant’, ‘kids and alcohol don’t mix’, or ‘is your drinking harming yourself or others?’ Given that these measures have been criticised as ambiguous and ineffective by some experts [55, 56], the Commonwealth Government is deliberating over the need for legislation mandating the presence and form of these warnings, as well as the inclusion of a nutritional information panel that list energy levels in kilojoules [56]. …”

An exploratory study of drinkers views of health information and warning labels on alcohol containers

“…Focus group participants were asked to give their views on the 12 prototype labels, which were developed based on the current practice in alcohol and tobacco product labelling in Australian and overseas markets, a sample of current Australian national and Victorian government-run alcohol social advertising campaigns, and a review of the recent international literature on warning labels on alcohol containers [8]. All prototype labels contained alcohol by volume (ABV) (%), the number of standard drinks, a prominent 'warning' alert, a health advisory message, a pictorial image, a list of ingredients and a nutritional information panel.…”

Caution! Warning Labels About Alcohol and Pregnancy: Unintended Consequences and Questionable Effectiveness

“…While alcohol warning labels are generally supported by the public, they have been relatively ineffective as a strategy to reduce the incidence of women who drink during pregnancy (Wilkinson and Room 2009). The main effect of alcohol warning labels is that they lead to enhanced awareness of the messages they convey (Wilkinson and Room 2009).…”

“…The main effect of alcohol warning labels is that they lead to enhanced awareness of the messages they convey (Wilkinson and Room 2009). However, increased awareness and upholding of the belief that women should not drink alcohol while pregnant have not necessarily translated to behavioral change (Meurk et al 2014), as approximately 8% of U.S. women continue to drink throughout their pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).…”