Packaged beer, wine and spirits should carry warnings that alcohol causes cancer, according to an alliance of doctors, charities and public health experts.
In an open letter co-ordinated by the World Cancer Research Fund, dozens of medical health professionals are to this week urge the government to compel suppliers to explicitly warn drinkers that alcohol causes cancer.
Such a move would help tackle “shockingly low” public awareness of research that alcohol was proven to cause seven types of cancer and 17,000 cases a year of the disease, they will say.
“We urge the government to fulfil its responsibility to protect public health by introducing a National Alcohol Strategy for England without delay, which must include mandatory alcohol product labelling with health warnings, including information on cancer risks and calorie content,” the letter, seen in full by The Grocer, states.
Other asks from the letter include introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol in England, and making alcohol subject to the same marketing restrictions as HFSS products.
Individuals to have signed the letter include Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK and Dr Katherine Severi, CEO of the Institute of Alcohol Studies.
Moderated drinking
The Portman Group, the social responsibility body and regulator for alcohol labelling, packaging and promotion in the UK, insisted blanket cancer warning labels were not a proportionate response, as most consumers already followed the chief medical officer’s guidance to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week,
“Whilst we do not dispute the link between alcohol and certain cancers, and that drinking at harmful levels is dangerous and increases risks, blanket cancer warning labels are not a proportionate policy measure and do not put the risks into an appropriate context,” a spokeswoman said. “This can create unnecessary anxiety, eroding trust in health advice and alienating the very people who require support.”
The government is said to be considering a raft of measures to tackle alcohol-related harm. The Department of Health & Social Care said it recognised “the need for more action” on the issue.
“Drinking alcohol increases the risk of a range of health issues, including several cancers,” a spokesman said. “That is why we recommend people drink within the UK chief medical officer’s alcohol guidelines of fewer than 14 units a week, and strongly recommend these are displayed clearly on all alcohol products.
“We recognise the need for more action on the impact of alcohol on health; for too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on this issue.
“Our Plan for Change will shift healthcare towards prevention, including through early intervention, to support people to live longer, healthier lives across the UK.”
Ireland is set to become the first country in the world to mandate cancer warning labels on alcoholic products. From next May, alcohol sold in the country must carry the warning that “there is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers”, as well as that alcohol can cause liver disease and affect foetuses.
In January, the then US surgeon general Vivek Murthy said cancer warning labels were needed to reduce the 100,000 cancer diagnoses in the US each year.
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