New rules propose mandatory nutrition and allergen labeling for alcoholic beverages, aiming to inform consumers. (AP File)
- Treasury Department proposes mandatory 'alcohol facts' box and allergen warnings for alcoholic beverage labels.
- Industry groups suggest digital alternatives like QR codes for providing required nutritional information.
- New labeling rules come amid updates to dietary guidelines and recent calls for cancer warnings on alcohol.
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Labels on wine, distilled spirits and malt beverages in the U.S. would be required to list alcohol content and nutritional information per serving, plus notification of potential allergens, under two new rules proposed Thursday by the Treasury Department.
The department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is seeking public content on proposals to require an “alcohol facts” box — similar to nutrition labels on food — that would list alcohol content, calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein per serving. A second rule would require labels to declare top allergens, including milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybean and sesame.
The changes are consistent with the bureau’s mandate “to ensure that labels provide consumers with adequate information about the identity, quality and alcohol content of alcohol beverages,” according to a notice published in the Federal Register.
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Long-Awaited Changes to Alcohol Labeling
Similar rules were first proposed nearly two decades ago and later championed in petitions submitted by advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
“The proposals represent a momentous step toward ensuring consumers have access to the information they need to make informed choices, follow health guidelines and avoid allergic reactions,” CSPI officials said in a statement.
Companies have been allowed to provide the information voluntarily for several years. In August 2021, a survey from the Beer Institute indicated that 95% of beer volume sold by several top producers contained nutrition information provided voluntarily, the bureau noted. Advocates, however, maintained that a limited number of companies used voluntary labels, “underscoring the need for a mandatory policy.”
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Industry Response and Implementation Timeline
The Wine Institute, a trade group, said it would support digital labels that contained the required information. “Given the unique nature of winemaking, the most accurate and least burdensome approach to providing nutrition information to consumers would be to allow the option of off-label disclosure via QR code or other electronic means,” the group said.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States also suggested QR codes or website references.
Comments will be accepted through April 16. The rules would take effect five years from the date of final approval.
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Recent Changes in Alcohol Policy
The move is the second major change for alcohol labels announced in the waning days of the Biden administration. On Jan. 5, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for new warnings about the link between alcohol and cancer.
The new proposals come as the government is in the process of updating dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol, that will form the cornerstone of federal food programs and policy. The updated guidelines are expected later this year.
The current guidelines recommend women have one drink or fewer per day while men should stick to two or fewer.
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