WARNING
LABELS NOT YET OFF THE AGENDA
Despite
the focus on alcohol taxation in this column in recent months, the Distilled
Spirits Industry Council of Australia has also been active on a number
of other equally important issues, many of which are of significance
to the broader liquor industry.
Warning Labels
One ongoing issue is that of warning labels on alcohol. For many years,
some drug, alcohol and health organisations in Australia have advocated
the use of health warning labels on alcohol products as a way of combating
alcohol misuse. Even though the most recent push was rejected a year
ago, the issue has not gone away as the protagonists get set to appeal
the decision.
Background
In 1999, the Society Without Alcoholic Trauma (SWAT) lodged a submission
with the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) requesting that
alcohol products contain a warning label stating: “This product
contains alcohol. Alcohol is a dangerous drug.”
SWAT considers that “the (alcohol) industry has developed
into a gigantic global machine extending its tentacles everywhere…”
It believes that “alcohol is a drug (whose) excesses must be controlled”
and it wants to ensure that the principles applied in relation to other
drugs are also applied to alcohol. SWAT’s stated aims are to “keep
the problem of alcohol on the public agenda…to effect reform of
a problem that has burdened societies in many parts of the world for
decades…and to change the role of alcohol in (Australia) and the
cultural image it portrays.”
Industry Response
DSICA, other members of the alcohol beverage industry, and other interested
stakeholders strongly opposed this application for the introduction
of health warning labels on alcohol products. The industry’s opposition
was based on several grounds:
First, there is very little research to indicate that a
warning label applied to an alcohol product actually produces a positive
change in drinking behaviour or reduces alcohol-related harm.
Second, there is very little evidence to show that a health
warning label on an alcohol product is the most appropriate way of informing
consumers about the health risks associated with alcohol misuse.
Third, there is only very limited evidence of the positive
impact of health warning labels on consumer knowledge and attitudes
towards alcohol consumption.
Finally, it is accepted that there are significant health
benefits from low to moderate consumption of alcohol, and a warning
label as proposed does not fully inform consumers.
Application Rejected
In July last year, after receiving some 47 submissions in response to
the application, ANZFA rejected warning labels on alcohol, citing a
number of reasons, including that:
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scientific evidence indicates
that while warning labels may increase awareness, this does not
necessarily lead to positive changes in behaviour, and may even
result in increased ‘undesirable’ behaviour in ‘at-risk’
groups; |
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simple, accurate
warning statements would be difficult to devise given the complexity
of issues surrounding alcohol use and misuse; |
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there is a steady downward
trend in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in Australia
and New Zealand; |
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comprehensive health strategies
concentrating on interventions known to work are already implemented
in both countries; |
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alcohol has significant health
benefits when consumed at low to moderate levels; |
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alcohol labels already provide
content and standard drink information; and |
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direct comparisons with tobacco
warning statements are not valid because unlike alcohol, there
is no level of tobacco consumption that can be considered to be
safe or low risk. |
SWAT is now appealing ANZFA’s decision.
Overseas Experience
DSICA strongly believes that warning labels are not the answer to combating
alcohol misuse, particularly amongst at-risk groups.
This view is backed up by the international experience
of warning labels. A 1993 US study reported in the Journal of Public
Policy and Marketing found that “among risk drinkers, the label
law clearly has not affected drinking behaviour”. In 1996, the
Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, in statements to a House of Commons
Standing Committee, said that they have “seen no direct, incontrovertible
evidence that applying warning labels to alcoholic beverage containers
has any impact on reducing the problems associated with abusive drinking”.
Before the same Committee, a former Canadian Deputy Minister of Community
Health made the salient point that alcohol education and awareness programs
run by the alcohol industry, governments and the community have “created
a sufficiently aware public that the kind of simple message that can
practically be applied to bottles and packages is no longer of any real
value”.
Education the Key
DSICA’s long-held view is that carefully targeted public information
and education campaigns are the only effective means of combating alcohol
misuse. The alcohol beverage industry in Australia has long been very
active in this area and in fact DSICA alone has spent over five million
dollars on public and industry education campaigns during the last decade.
This article was first published in National Liquor
News,
July 2001
