AB InBev UK commits to nutritional information for beer

Information will include energy values, fat and saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt.

Last year AB InBev, Heineken, Carlsberg and SABMiller backed a pledge from The Brewers of Europe, agreeing to list ingredients and nutritional information on beer.​ AB InBev says its commitment goes further, for example by providing values per portion size as well as per 100ml.

It will:

• Put full ingredient and energy information on primary packs.
• Put ingredient and nutrition information (energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, salt) on non-returnable secondary packs.
• Provide information per 100ml and per portion.
• Offer a complete list of ingredients, energy and further nutritional details online via tapintoyourbeer.com

The information will be made available this year and will cover at least 80% of European volumes by the end of 2017.

Less than one in five UK consumers said they were aware of calorie levels in beer, according to a recent survey commissioned by AB InBev.

Over a third of respondents (35%) said they actively look at the calorie information on drinks, with this figure rising to 48% among millennials (18 – 29 year olds).

Consumers said packaging, brand websites, and online information were the best channels for communicating calorie levels, ingredients and nutritional information.

Calls for calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks have been made in Europe, including from the UK’s Local Government Association last week.

Foods and beverages must adhere to the EU Regulation on Food Information to Consumers (FIC), but alcoholic drinks above 1.2% ABV are currently exempt from providing ingredients and nutritional listings.