Consumer Group Pushes for Alcohol Nutrition Labels
WASHINGTON -- Alcohol is the only consumable product that doesn't contain nutritional labels, and the National Consumers League thinks it's time that changed.
NCL President Linda Golodner says that the government should require the same standardized labeling information on alcoholic beverages that now appears on products from foods and beverages to over-the-counter drugs.
"Today, even the most basic information about alcohol beverages is not required to be provided on the labels of most alcohol beverage products," Golodner said in a news release.
The labels would include information including calories, carbohydrates, fats, serving size and alcoholic content, according to the report.
Golodner added that it would help diet-conscious consumers keep count of calories and carbs, and let people know how much alcohol they have consumed.
The NCL said that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) currently doesn't permit such labeling.
The NCL also released findings of an opinion poll providing new evidence that the general public overwhelmingly wants more information on the labels of alcoholic beverages. Conducted for the League by Opinion Research Corporation, the poll surveyed 983 adult Americans aged 21 and over between Sept. 22 and 25 and found that the vast majority favor having access to the following information: ingredients that may cause allergic reactions (93 percent); information on the alcohol content (93 percent); the list of ingredients (90 percent); the amount of alcohol per serving (87 percent); the number of calories per serving (83 percent); the serving size (82 percent); servings per container (81 percent); carbohydrates per serving (79 percent); fat per serving (77 percent); and protein per serving (70 percent).
Specifically, nine in ten Americans (89 percent) say that companies should be allowed to put information on their labels that will state how much alcohol is in a standard serving. Moreover, 86 percent said the TTB should not be able to prevent companies from disclosing this kind of information on labels.
The NCL suggested that the TTB first allow alcohol labeling on a voluntary basis and then consider mandatory rules.
NCL President Linda Golodner says that the government should require the same standardized labeling information on alcoholic beverages that now appears on products from foods and beverages to over-the-counter drugs.
"Today, even the most basic information about alcohol beverages is not required to be provided on the labels of most alcohol beverage products," Golodner said in a news release.
The labels would include information including calories, carbohydrates, fats, serving size and alcoholic content, according to the report.
Golodner added that it would help diet-conscious consumers keep count of calories and carbs, and let people know how much alcohol they have consumed.
The NCL said that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) currently doesn't permit such labeling.
The NCL also released findings of an opinion poll providing new evidence that the general public overwhelmingly wants more information on the labels of alcoholic beverages. Conducted for the League by Opinion Research Corporation, the poll surveyed 983 adult Americans aged 21 and over between Sept. 22 and 25 and found that the vast majority favor having access to the following information: ingredients that may cause allergic reactions (93 percent); information on the alcohol content (93 percent); the list of ingredients (90 percent); the amount of alcohol per serving (87 percent); the number of calories per serving (83 percent); the serving size (82 percent); servings per container (81 percent); carbohydrates per serving (79 percent); fat per serving (77 percent); and protein per serving (70 percent).
Specifically, nine in ten Americans (89 percent) say that companies should be allowed to put information on their labels that will state how much alcohol is in a standard serving. Moreover, 86 percent said the TTB should not be able to prevent companies from disclosing this kind of information on labels.
The NCL suggested that the TTB first allow alcohol labeling on a voluntary basis and then consider mandatory rules.