RBOUZUK via iStock Sponsored Content Championing consumers’ right to know what they’re drinking The Brewers of Europe have been voluntarily putting what’s inside our beers on the outside

When The Brewers of Europe met with EU Health Commissioner Andriukaitis a fortnight ago to present The Brewers’ commitment to list ingredients and nutrition information, I was able to report on 70 percent of beers labelling ingredients, whilst an estimated 40 percent already label calories. I also reported on the growing use of online platforms and secondary packaging as information vehicles, for example to provide all seven nutrition values and to inform consumers about beers served on-tap.

The Commissioner welcomed brewers’ actions, stating: “I appreciate the rigor and ambition with which The Brewers of Europe and the beer sector have been committed to providing information to consumers. I can only encourage the brewers to continue the good work and to keep me informed on progress.”

The meeting last week between the EU Health Commissioner and representatives from beer, cider, spirits and wine was therefore an opportunity for all sectors to introduce the joint framework on which we had been working, but also for individual sectors to unveil, both to the Commissioner and to each other, their individual implementation annexes. Through the Beer Annex, The Brewers of Europe reiterated the brewers’ own long-standing commitment to listing ingredients and nutrition information, delivering according to the expectations of the European Commission, Parliament, Health Council, civil society groups and, most importantly, consumers.

Three years ago, The Brewers of Europe announced a commitment, welcomed by policymakers and NGOs, for brewers across Europe to list ingredients and nutrition information, following the rules as laid down in EU law.

Last week’s meeting opens up a new phase

Firstly, analysis by the Commission of both the joint proposal and the individual sector annexes is required. The analysis will look at whether economic operators have replied satisfactorily to the Commission’s request to “respond to consumers’ expectations and present within a year of adoption of this report a self-regulatory proposal that would cover the entire sector of alcoholic beverages.”

Secondly, serious implementation by all sectors, not just the brewers, should begin. The Brewers of Europe fully agrees with The European Consumer Organization and the European Alcohol Policy Alliance, that any attempt by any sector to dismantle or even dilute the fundamentals of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 ­— that governs legal, meaningful, fair and satisfactory food information to consumers — is unacceptable.

Everyone wants comparable, honest, easy-to-understand information

Three years ago, The Brewers of Europe announced a commitment, welcomed by policymakers and NGOs, for brewers across Europe to list ingredients and nutrition information, following the rules as laid down in EU law. Our logic was simple. There is no sensible reason why a consumer would receive comparable information on the ingredients or energy content of a non-alcoholic beverage, but then suddenly have no comparable information for an alcoholic beverage above 1.2 percent ABV.

A 2016 survey by GfK of over 9000 adults across 9 EU countries revealed that 86 percent of consumers believe alcoholic beverages should list ingredients and show nutrition information per 100ml. This is logical, as ingredients and nutrition values are the real basics of food information and 100ml is not only the reference volume known to consumers for comparing all other beverages but also the EU legal reference that all drinks, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, have had to respect since 1990. Like any other food and drink product, the 100ml values can be complemented by portion values.

We therefore also agreed with the conclusion of the European Commission’s March 2017 alcohol labelling report, that there were no “objective grounds that would justify the absence of information on ingredients and nutrition information on alcoholic beverages or a differentiated treatment for some alcoholic beverages.”

Our commitment is about meeting consumers’ expectations, bringing beer into line with other food and drink products.

On-label versus off-label information

For the brewing sector this has always been about empowering consumers. Brewers want consumers to know the ingredients they are using and the nutrition information to see how beer, alongside other foods and drinks, may fit within a balanced diet and lifestyle. This means not just using labels but also other tools.

The Brewers of Europe have been developing toolkits to simplify understanding of the EU legislation, help brewers understand the commitment, and explain how nutrition values can be calculated and presented.

Whilst the GfK surveys showed that two thirds of consumers might use one or other off-label platform to consult this information, 70 percent of consumers still said they would expect to consult the label for ingredients and nutrition information. It is thus no surprise that the label remains the principle vehicle used by brewers for providing this information, with around three quarters of EU beers already labelling ingredients and a fast-growing number labeling at least the energy values. But equally, it is no surprise that there are also breweries using secondary packaging and digital platforms — all contributing to the overall objective of better-informed consumers. When using these off-label platforms, the rules — as laid down in Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information to consumers — still apply.

Supporting SMEs

The challenge remains for smaller brewers to understand what needs to be done under the new joint framework, how it can be done and how costs can be kept to a minimum. The numbers of breweries in the EU has doubled in five years, so this is a challenge we are embracing. The Brewers of Europe have been developing toolkits to simplify understanding of the EU legislation, help brewers understand the commitment, and explain how nutrition values can be calculated and presented.

Small businesses exist across the food and drinks industry. All products have their own characteristics but none of this can be a reason for the continuing anomaly of consumers being left in the dark about what ingredients are used in alcoholic drinks, and how these drinks may fit within their diet. Small brewers are also implementing The Brewers’ commitment, including through the label.

Continuing to show the way on ingredients listing and nutrition information

An ambitious, meaningful, consumer-driven implementation of the joint framework will be the ultimate proof of a successful joint venture amongst the alcoholic drinks sectors. For the beer sector there’s nothing revolutionary: ingredients lists and calorie values are the most basic of information that all consumers should expect for all drinks.

We will continue to lead the way by supporting the implementation by brewers through the dissemination of guidance tools and utilizing detailed monitoring templates to report annually.

We believe in empowering people with the facts to make informed decisions. That’s why we’ve been voluntarily putting what’s inside our beers on the outside.

Join the discussion online using #BeerWisdom and #RightToknow. Read more on: www.beerwisdom.eu

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