MEPs back calls for calorie labelling on alcohol
Posted on Mon 21st Sep 2015 at 12:32
It’s a contentious issue in some circles but one that’s not going away – in fact mandatory calorie labelling on all alcoholic drinks just got one step closer.
At the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs voted to table a full legislative proposal enforcing the labels by 2016. Although it may take years for the actual legislation to be passed, Diageo have already put plans in place to introduce calorie labels on their brands, subject to local regulatory approval. Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, praised Diageo’s move, saying “It is important that industry works to find the best way to provide meaningful information to consumers and Diageo’s work is a welcome contribution to that”. The prospective legislation has also drawn approval from other sources, who praise its ability to make it easier for consumers to understand the calorific impact of differing measures across the EU.