Vivian Marlowe
Alcoholic beverages are not required to have a calorie count listed. In the US, alcoholic beverages are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which does not mandate nutritional labelling. While manufacturers are allowed to include nutritional information, it is not compulsory. This is in contrast to other packaged foods, which require nutrition labels. There has been a push for mandatory nutritional labelling on alcoholic drinks, with some experts arguing that it is a public health issue, as alcohol can contribute significantly to daily calorie intake. However, there are also concerns that nutritional labelling on alcohol could lead to unintended consequences, such as changes in industry behaviour that may be detrimental to public health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Agency responsible for alcoholic beverage regulation | Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) |
| Calorie count labelling requirements | Not required, but allowed if accompanied by other nutritional information |
| Calories per gram of alcohol | 7 |
| Percentage of alcoholic products with nutritional information in UK supermarkets in 2020 | 44% |
| Calories in two drinks | 500 calories or more |
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What You'll Learn
Alcoholic beverages are not regulated by the FDA
Alcoholic beverages are not required to have a calorie count listed. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally requires packaged foods to display nutrition facts and ingredients on their labels. However, alcoholic beverages are notably exempt from this requirement.
The primary reason for this exemption lies in the unique regulatory history of alcohol in the US. Shortly after the repeal of Prohibition, Congress passed the Alcohol Administration Act, which established the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to regulate the labels on alcoholic beverages and generate tax revenue from alcohol. Consequently, when modern nutrition labels became mandatory for packaged foods in 1990, alcohol was not subject to the same standards.
Over the years, a variety of labelling rules have been implemented for different types of alcohol. For instance, distilled liquor and wine with an alcohol content above 14% must indicate the alcohol percentage on their labels, while this is optional for wines with lower alcohol content and all beers. Notably, wines with less than 7% alcohol and beers that do not contain malted barley are considered food products and thus fall under FDA rules, requiring them to list standard nutrition facts and ingredients. However, calorie counts and alcohol content labelling remain optional for these beverages.
The lack of mandatory calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks has sparked debate among consumer advocates and public health experts. Some argue that providing calorie information could help consumers make informed choices and potentially reduce their calorie intake. In contrast, alcohol manufacturers have resisted mandatory labelling, expressing concerns about the potential impact on consumer perceptions and the burden of additional costs.
While the TTB has made nutrition labels optional for alcoholic beverages, it is worth noting that certain substances that may cause sensitivity, such as sulfites and yellow dye, must be listed. Additionally, some alcoholic products, such as hard seltzers, kombucha tea, and low- or no-alcohol wines, fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA and are subject to its labelling requirements.
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Calorie counts are optional for alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages are not required to have a calorie count listed. After the repeal of Prohibition, Congress passed the Alcohol Administration Act, which established the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to regulate the labels on alcoholic beverages. In 1994, when nutrition labels became mandatory for all packaged foods, alcohol was exempt because it is not regulated by the FDA.
In 2013, the TTB made nutrition labels optional for alcoholic beverages, but not mandatory. This has led to some alcohol brands using nutrition as a marketing tool, without providing consistent means of comparison between products. For instance, beer commercials may advertise their products as low in carbs without providing context on the overall nutritional value.
There are valid arguments for and against putting nutritional information on alcoholic beverages. Some consumer advocates and health experts have pushed for mandatory labelling, arguing that it would help people become more aware of serving sizes and how alcohol contributes to their daily calorie intake. A 2017 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that providing consumers with information about the calorie content of alcoholic beverages could help them reduce their calorie intake.
On the other hand, some argue that including a nutrition label on alcohol could make it seem more like a food than a drug. For example, it would be counterproductive to have someone comparing the calories and carbs in bread with those in a glass of wine. Additionally, putting nutrition facts on alcohol bottles might lead consumers to erroneously believe that alcohol is nutritious.
In the absence of mandatory laws, some alcohol manufacturers have voluntarily included health and nutrition information on their labels. For instance, in 2018, a leading alcohol industry group in the UK, Diageo, announced intentions to voluntarily include health and nutrition information on labels of leading product ranges. However, when energy labelling information is provided voluntarily, the average height of the text is substantially smaller than the recommended size for easy readability.
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Alcoholic drinks contain calories that add up quickly
Alcoholic drinks, like many other beverages, contain calories that can add up quickly. A couple of drinks can add 500 calories or more to your daily intake. Cocktails mixed with soda, juice, cream, or ice cream can have especially high calorie counts. For example, a standard glass of wine can contain up to 158 calories, and some pints of stronger lager can contain up to 222 calories. Drinking four bottles of 12% strength wine a month can add up to a yearly consumption of 32,400 calories.
In the United States, alcoholic beverages are not regulated by the FDA but by a separate federal agency called the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which does not require nutritional labelling. While consumer advocates have pushed for mandatory labelling several times, the TTB has only made nutrition labels optional for alcoholic beverages. This means that calorie counts are also optional for alcoholic beverages, except for beers advertised as "low-carb".
The absence of mandatory nutritional labelling on alcoholic drinks has led to calls for change. In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that providing consumers with information about the calorie content of alcoholic beverages could help them reduce their calorie intake. A 2017 European Commission report also suggested that there were no grounds to justify the absence of nutritional information from alcohol products. In 2020, an Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA)-funded study found that although most beverages surveyed in UK supermarkets contained no nutritional information, 44% of sampled products included energy (calorie content) information.
While there are arguments for mandatory nutritional labelling on alcoholic drinks, there are also potential drawbacks. For example, mandatory energy labelling requirements could result in increased marketing by the alcohol industry, which may not be beneficial to public health. Additionally, the impact of alcohol energy labelling on population obesity is unclear, as alcohol contributes modestly to daily energy intake, and nutritional labelling policies tend to have a limited impact on behaviour.
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Alcohol manufacturers have avoided mandatory labelling
Alcoholic beverages are not required to list calorie counts or nutritional information on their labels. In the United States, alcoholic beverages are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which does not mandate nutritional labelling. This is due to the Alcohol Administration Act, passed by Congress shortly after the repeal of Prohibition, which established the TTB and gave it the responsibility of regulating alcohol labels.
While the TTB has implemented certain mandatory information requirements for alcohol labels, such as prohibiting false or misleading statements, nutritional labelling remains optional. This is despite consumer advocates pushing for mandatory labelling on several occasions. In 2013, the TTB made nutrition labels optional for alcoholic beverages, but not required. Manufacturers have argued that putting nutrition facts on alcohol bottles might mislead consumers into thinking alcohol is nutritious.
The absence of mandatory laws requiring energy labelling of alcoholic drinks has resulted in limited voluntary provision of this information by alcohol manufacturers. For example, a 2020 Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA)-funded study found that while many beverages surveyed in UK supermarkets lacked nutritional information, 44% of sampled products included energy or calorie content information. This increase may be due to leading alcohol industry groups voluntarily including health and nutrition information on labels to potentially avoid mandatory legislation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission have recommended providing consumers with information about the calorie content of alcoholic beverages to help them reduce their calorie intake. However, the alcohol industry has not followed these recommendations, leading to calls for mandatory nutritional labelling. While some argue that mandatory energy labelling could lead to positive changes in industry behaviour, others suggest it may have limited impact on population obesity prevalence as a standalone policy.
In summary, alcohol manufacturers have avoided mandatory labelling of calorie counts and nutritional information by leveraging the regulatory framework established by the TTB, which does not require such labelling. While there have been efforts to introduce mandatory labelling, the industry has successfully resisted these attempts, citing concerns about consumer misunderstanding and potential negative impacts on public health.
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Mandatory labelling may have limited impact on obesity
Alcoholic beverages are not required to have a calorie count listed. In the United States, alcoholic beverages are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which does not mandate nutritional labelling. While consumer advocates have pushed for labelling several times, alcohol manufacturers have successfully resisted these efforts. In 2013, the TTB made nutrition labels optional for alcoholic beverages.
The impact of mandatory labelling on obesity is a subject of debate. Some argue that providing calorie information helps consumers make informed choices and reduce their calorie intake if they wish to. However, the effectiveness of mandatory labelling as a standalone policy in reducing obesity is uncertain. Here are some reasons why mandatory labelling may have a limited impact on obesity:
Limited Impact on Behaviour
Nutritional labelling policies have been shown to have a modest impact on behaviour. While consumers appreciate nutritional information, studies suggest that they pay little attention to labels when making real-life purchasing decisions. This discrepancy between stated preferences and actual behaviour may limit the effectiveness of mandatory labelling in influencing consumer choices.
Industry Response and Marketing Strategies
Mandatory labelling requirements may lead to changes in industry behaviour that could be detrimental to public health. For example, the alcohol industry may increase marketing efforts to promote lower-calorie products to recover the costs associated with labelling. This shift in marketing strategies could inadvertently encourage higher consumption of these products, potentially offsetting any positive impact on obesity rates.
Calorie Contribution from Alcoholic Drinks
Alcoholic drinks contribute only a modest proportion of calories to daily energy intake. The impact of energy labelling on obesity may be limited as it addresses only a small component of overall calorie consumption. Other ultra-processed foods, such as those high in sugars, sodium, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates, have been identified as more significant contributors to the obesity epidemic.
Voluntary Labelling and Pre-emptive Actions
In the absence of mandatory laws, some alcohol manufacturers have voluntarily included health and nutrition information on their labels. This voluntary provision of information may reduce the perceived need for governments to intervene with legislation. However, when provided voluntarily, the text size for energy labelling tends to be smaller than recommended, potentially affecting readability and consumer understanding.
While mandatory labelling may provide consumers with valuable information, it is essential to recognize that its impact on obesity may be limited without accompanying measures. Obesity is a complex public health issue influenced by various factors, including individual behaviour, industry practices, and the broader food environment. Therefore, a comprehensive approach addressing multiple factors is likely to be more effective in tackling obesity.
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Frequently asked questions
Alcoholic beverages are not required to have a calorie count listed. Calorie counts are optional for all beverages.
Alcoholic beverages are not regulated by the FDA, but by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which does not require nutritional labelling.
In the US, energy labelling is required for alcoholic drinks sold by large businesses in the OOHFS. Additionally, the TTB allows truthful, accurate and specific calorie or carbohydrate statements on labels, but considers them misleading unless they include the number of grams of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Yes, consumer advocates have pushed for labelling several times. In 2003, the CSPI and other groups lobbied the TTB to require nutrition labels. In 2007, the TTB proposed a new rule that would have required nutrition labels. Additionally, a 2017 report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and a 2017 European Commission report suggested that there were no grounds to justify the absence of nutritional information from alcohol products.
Yes, nutritional labelling may help people become more aware of serving sizes and how alcohol can add to daily calorie intake. A 2020 Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA)-funded study found that energy (calorie content) information was included on 44% of sampled products in UK supermarkets.
