Carlsberg Britvic deal gets go-ahead from UK competition watchdog
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has cleared the anticipated acquisition by Carlsberg UK Holdings Limited of Britvic plc.
Regulation
Pressure mounts across Europe to ban energy drink sales to children
Energy drinks have long been under fire from health campaigners: now governments are taking note.
Coffee companies welcome EUDR delay – but ‘time alone is not enough’
Around 80% of the world’s coffee is produced by smallholder coffee farmers - so what do the EU’s deforestation regulations mean for the coffee industry?
Hello Kitty wine taken off shelves in UK
A ‘Hello Kitty’ wine will no longer be sold in the UK after the alcohol industry’s self-regulator said it was likely to appeal to children: acting as a warning to alcohol brands who are tempted to draw on child-like branding or nostalgia.
Tackling wine industry challenges: Europe sets out plan of action
The European Union is the ‘biggest vineyard in the world’ – producing 64% of the world’s wine by volume and 70% by value. But it’s no secret that the wine industry worldwide faces a set of hugely challenging pressures: ranging from climate change to a...
Alcohol labeling: Are consumers getting enough information about what they drink in the UK?
Ingredient lists, calorie counts, alcohol strength and more – are UK consumers getting all the information they want from their alcohol labels?
Fake alcohol: Can alcohol brands ever win the battle against counterfeit goods?
How big a problem is counterfeit alcohol - and what can be done to fight the problem?
Top trends in beverage alcohol
What are the top trends driving the global beverage alcohol market forward - and how can we expect the industry to evolve?
How to spot fake alcohol
Fake alcohol refers to drinks produced illegally and made to look like well-known brands – but these products can be lethal. How can people identify what's genuine and what's counterfeit?
Huel and Zoe in hot water with advertising watchdog over testimonials
The UK’s advertising watchdog took issue with exactly who provided the testimonials for the fast-growing brands' Facebook ads: Steven Bartlett, a TV personality who has a commercial interest in each company.
Huge tax hikes: Vietnam proposes phased 100% alcohol tax rise, 10% for sugar-sweetened drinks
The Vietnamese government has drafted new regulations proposing a phased increase on excise taxes for alcoholic beverages to 100% by 2030 as well as 10% for sugar-sweetened beverages, in attempts to curb overconsumption as well as boosting national income.
UK could ban sales of energy drinks to under 16s
The Labour Party says it will ban the sale of energy drinks to under 16s if it wins the UK’s General Election next month.
How much alcohol advertising do children see on TV?
Alcohol adverts should not be shown alongside programs that appeal particularly to children. But how many alcohol adverts do children end up seeing?
Drizly is gone: What happens next in US alcohol ecommerce?
Uber has shut down alcohol delivery app Drizly: barely three years after it paid $1.1bn for the company. What does this mean for the future of alcohol ecommerce in the US?
Canada extends 2% cap on alcohol excise duty inflation adjustment
The federal government has announced a two-year extension of the 2% cap on the annual alcohol excise duty inflation adjustment, as well as announcing reduced excise duty rates on beer to benefit the smaller brewers.
Scotland set to raise Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol
The Scottish government plans to increase the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol by 15p per unit to 65p this year
Gin ‘fingerprinting’ could help futureproof the category
A new technique that takes a chemical fingerprint of gin in seconds could hold 'huge potential' for the industry: allowing producers to create better and more consistent gins; enable regulators to detect fraudulent products; and even help create a...
How to market alcohol-free alternatives responsibly
Alcohol-free alternatives provide a welcome option to the increasing number of consumers who choose not to drink. But there are growing concerns that branding similarities to alcohol could mean that alcohol-free alternatives act as a gateway into alcohol...
Geographical Indicators and Wales: Food and drink producers helped by Welsh Government to acquire coveted accreditations
Be it for Welsh lamb and beef or single malt Welsh whisky, geographical indicators are a vital part of ensuring products are tied to their geographical region. The Welsh Government has provided industry stakeholders with vital support in attaining these...
How can e-commerce retailers prevent the underage sale of alcohol?
Sales of alcohol online are becoming increasingly important: but it’s extremely difficult for retailers and brands to know if they’re selling to underage drinkers. A new set of guidelines from the UK’s Retail of Alcohol Standards Group (RASG) sets out...
‘Brewers are bouncing back!’ European data shows rise in beer sales
Beer sales in Europe were up in 2022, beating 2021 and 2020 levels but still not yet reaching pre-COVID levels of 2019.
Should one size fit all? Beer, spirits and wine divided over EU packaging plan
The European Parliament has adopted its position on new EU packaging rules: which could see a raft of long-term changes for drinks packaging. The reaction from the European alcohol industry is mixed.
Ireland to ban TV alcohol ads before 9pm
Ireland will ban alcohol advertisements on TV before 9pm from 2025 in an effort to reduce children and young people’s exposure to alcohol products.
England looks to change ‘alcohol-free’ definition
England currently considers an ‘alcohol-free’ drink as one containing less than 0.05% ABV – differing from a number of other countries that use 0.5% ABV as the definition. A public consultation is now seeking views on whether to raise the threshold for...
Scotland looks to increase the minimum unit price of alcohol
The Scottish government wants to increase the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) of alcohol by 15 pence per unit to 65 pence: launching a consultation into the proposals this week.
Cartoon characters land Camden Town Brewery in trouble with UK advertising watchdog
A TV advert for Camden Town Brewery has been deemed ‘irresponsible’ by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA): which believes the animated advert from AB InBev UK could appeal to people under 18 years old.
Applicable to all: Australia’s new mandatory alcohol pregnancy warning labels enforceable on imported beverages
Australia has started enforcement of mandatory pregnancy warning on all alcoholic beverages, a requirement that will also apply to imports.
Clearer carbohydrate claims: ANZ food safety agency initiates upgrade for voluntary alcoholic beverage labelling standards
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is considering updating rules around voluntary nutrition claims for carbohydrates and sugar on alcoholic products, opening this to public comment until September.
AB InBev reaches goal of putting alcohol guidance labels on all beer products: ‘A label is a key consumer touchpoint to promote positive consumer behavior’
All of AB InBev’s beer products now include alcohol guidance labels: including markets where there is no legal mandate to do so. That makes it the largest voluntary guidance initiative every undertaken by a beer, wine or spirits company, says the beer...
UK government sets out to revamp wine regulations
The UK government will ‘scrap retained EU red tape on wine to unlock £180m’ via proposed changes to regulations for the production and marketing of wine in the country.
Ireland to introduce mandatory health warnings and calorie content on alcohol labels
Ireland is to become the first country in the world to introduce comprehensive warning labels on alcohol products: with new regulations signed into law by the country’s health minister yesterday.
European alcohol organizations submit formal complaint over Ireland’s alcohol labelling rules
spiritsEurope and wine industry organization Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) have submitted formal complaints asking the European Commission to open an infringement procedure against Ireland for allegedly 'breaching EU law' with its planned...
Scotland’s MUP policy associated with 13% decrease in deaths from alcohol consumption, says study
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) legislation for alcohol in Scotland is associated with ‘significant reductions in alcohol-specific deaths among those from the most socio-economically deprived areas in Scotland’, suggests a study published in The Lancet.
Counterfeit-plagued alcohol sector could be fatal for both companies and consumers – Indian association
The high rate of counterfeiting in India has resulted in far-reaching repercussions on public health and economic development, sparking an urgent need to educate consumers and for companies to adopt authentication solutions, says an Indian association.
Scotland explores alcohol advertising restrictions
A consultation on Scotland's proposals to introduce strict alcohol marketing restrictions closes today (March 9).
Should alcohol-free alternatives face the same marketing restrictions as alcohol?
Most iconic alcohol brands have created alcohol-free versions of their flagship drinks, providing a welcome alternative for many consumers. But the Scottish government is worried that such products still serve as a branding boost for the full-strength...
‘Don’t destroy Scotland’s drinks industry’, say producers in response to proposed alcohol advertising restrictions
A coalition of more than 100 producers and brands active in Scotland are calling on the government to abandon plans to heavily restrict alcohol marketing in the country.
MUP has ‘minimal’ economic impact on Scotland’s drinks industry, says report
A report commissioned by Public Health Scotland indicates that the economic performance of the alcoholic drinks industry in Scotland has not been significantly impacted by the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP).
New Canadian drinking guidelines call for stricter alcohol policies
A Canadian report on health and alcohol suggests health warnings, minimum unit pricing and stringent advertising restrictions for alcohol should be implemented in the country: as it delivers its message that ‘no amount or kind of alcohol is good for your...
guest article
Why are wine miniatures a fast-growing format?
From being ‘cute’ to helping manage consumption, the miniature wine format is growing in popularity with consumers. Alex Green, co-founder of wine distributor Beyond Wines and creator of premium wine brand Liquid Diamond, takes a look what makes the...
Industry group calls on UK government to prioritize review of low alcohol descriptors
The Portman Group is urging the UK government to launch a long-awaited consultation on low alcohol descriptors.
‘Significant policy gap’: NZ online retailers should be forced to display alcohol warnings on page – academics
Alcohol health information and warnings should be mandatory on online retail pages in New Zealand, researchers claim, arguing that simply containing them on product pictures is insufficient.
BrewDog's fruity beer advert runs afoul of watchdog with ‘one of your five a day’ claim
BrewDog’s tongue-in-cheek marketing style has once again fallen foul of the UK’s advertising watchdog: with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upholding a complaint against the brewer’s ‘one of your five a day’ phrase in a marketing email.
UK brewers focus on pathway to net zero
UK brewers are taking "huge steps" to be more environmentally-friendly with an expanded, targeted roadmap being launched to help the sector decarbonise at pace to reach net zero
Study assesses influence of alcohol packaging on young people
With some young adults admitting they purchase alcohol solely on pack appeal, researchers from the University of Stirling in Scotland say further studies should consider the potential of stronger regulation of alcohol packaging.
MUP may not curb drinking in heaviest and most vulnerable drinkers, suggests Scottish study
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol in Scotland may not be curbing drinking in people most at risk, suggests a study published in BMJ Open.
Non-alc drinks association launches in the UK & Europe: ‘Our relationship with alcohol is at the beginning of a generational shift’
The Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) is launching in the UK and Europe to help propel the growing sector. Mark Livings, ANBA board chair, tells BeverageDaily what the European market looks like today and what the new organisation aims to...
Japan net alcohol labelling: Voluntary scheme to be eased in to avoid eco and cost impacts – Kirin
Japanese firms will gradually introduce a new voluntary net alcohol labelling scheme to avoid cost and environmental impacts, according to beer giant Kirin.
Health warnings on alcohol labels make drinking unappealing, says study
Millennials are more likely to perceive alcohol as ‘unappealing’ and ‘socially unacceptable’ if they display prominent health warnings, according to a new study.
TTB warns brands over use of ‘clean’ descriptor with alcohol beverages
The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has weighed in on the use of the word ‘clean’ with alcohol beverages.