Madam, – The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland has long accepted the calls recently made on these pages for the introduction of pregnancy advice labels on pre-packaged alcohol products.
In mid-2007 we agreed with government that legislation would be brought forward to introduce these labels in addition to providing specific information about the number of alcohol units contained in any pre-packaged product. It was agreed that legislation would ensure uniformity across all products and avoid any confusion to the consumer.
Labels can be a useful tool. However, their effectiveness is diminished unless accompanied by a major consumer awareness campaign. This too was agreed in 2007. However, no legislation has yet been brought forward.
It is vital that Irish consumers are empowered to make informed choices about their levels of alcohol consumption. I would therefore urge the Government to expedite the necessary legislation as soon as possible. – Yours, etc,