Nutrition Labelling on Alcoholic Beverages: A Behavioural Law and Economics Study on Mandatory Alcohol Labelling

Abstract

The exemption for alcoholic beverages from the nutrition declaration is currently discussed by policy makers. In this contribution, we use findings from consumer studies in order to analyse alcohol nutrition labelling. We first explain how alcohol nutrition labelling is currently regulated and survey the on-going policy process, including an analysis of the self-regulatory proposals that have been tabled by the alcohol beverages industry. On the basis of consumer studies, we argue that there are no reasons for excluding alcohol beverages from nutrition labelling. We further suggest that alcohol content labelling itself, currently absent from the policy agenda, should be included. Our recommendations are to study directive, semi-directive, and non-directive alcohol nutrition information labelling options. In light of highly varying attitudes across EU Member States to alcohol consumption, non-directive nutrition information (e.g. alcohol gram content in the nutrition declaration) may be most politically feasible and suitable to accommodate this diversity in the EU context.

Keywords: alcohol, nutrition labelling, nutrition declaration, legal analysis