News

One in five alcohol products keep consumers in the dark on health information, new study finds

One in five alcohol products sold in the UK fail to meet minimum voluntary labelling guidelines set by the alcohol industry regulator, the Portman Group, according to new analysis of over 530 alcohol product labels – the biggest study of its kind to date. 

The research from Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Alcohol Health Alliance UK found that basic nutrition and health information, such as units of alcohol, ingredients, and health and pregnancy warnings, was inconsistent or wholly absent from labels, leaving consumers without important information about what is in their drinks and the associated health risks. 

The study found: 

• One in four products do not include units per serving, limiting consumer ability to track intake 
• 8% of products do not include units per container, a minimum requirement
• Only 6.7% of products include any health warning
• Just 1.3% of products include warnings relating to cancer or liver disease
• Full nutritional information appears on only 13.4% of products  

Meanwhile industry-funded messaging (such as ‘drink responsibly’) appears on nearly 90% of products. Researchers also found that legal and health information was often displayed in very small text or pictograms, with some measuring as little as 2.5mm in diameter.

Public support for clearer labelling is strong, with 74% of Scottish adults backing health warning labels. Currently, alcohol labels are only required to show ABV, volume, and allergens — unlike other food and drink products.  

With alcohol linked to more than 200 health conditions, including cancer, campaigners argue that voluntary labelling has failed. Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Alcohol Health Alliance are calling for mandatory UK-wide standards, including health warnings, nutritional information, and clear unit labelling, to help consumers make informed choices. 

Carolyn Lochhead, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: 

“Consumers are being kept in the dark about the potential health harms of alcohol products. It is ludicrous that a pint of milk is required to carry more information than alcohol products.  

“With more than 50 people a week dying of preventable alcohol-related causes in Scotland, this situation cannot continue. Consumers have the right to know what they are drinking so that they can make genuinely informed choices about their health.  

“Self-regulation has clearly failed. It’s time for the governments to act and introduce mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products.” 

Gillian Brown of Our Circle for Alcohol Free Mums, a coaching programme and online community for mums who want to become and stay alcohol free said: 

“I feel I have the right to know the correct information about what I am consuming to understand the risks and make informed choices. I make choices about so many other things I eat and drink based on their labels –why should alcohol be any different? 

“I am classed as high risk for breast cancer, and I have been receiving screening since my early 30s. Yet I had no idea about the direct links between alcohol and breast cancer. 

“The industry asks us to “drink responsibly” but how can we be “responsible” without the full picture?” 

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said: 

“Alcohol is a type 1 carcinogen — in the same category as tobacco and asbestos — yet most alcohol products carry little or no meaningful health information communicating those risks. 

“Public awareness of alcohol harms remains low, particularly around the link between alcohol and cancer, despite alcohol being linked to an estimated one in 25 cancer cases in the UK. 

“Consumers would not accept this level of missing health information on other food and drink products, and alcohol should not be treated differently. 

“Consumers have a right to know what is in their drink, how much alcohol it contains, and the health risks associated with drinking it. Mandatory alcohol labelling would help ensure everyone can make informed decisions about their health.” 

The report comes following the UK Government’s announcement earlier this year that it would consult on introducing measures including health warnings and nutritional information on alcohol products. It is expected that these proposals will be developed for the whole of the UK, including Scotland.