Experts welcomed a re-commitment to alcohol health warning labels in a new cancer plan for England this week, but highlighted the absence of evidence-based policies. Instead the plan looks to the unproven merits of lo-no drinks.
The government said it would “tackle harmful alcohol consumption by introducing new mandatory health warnings and nutritional information on alcohol labels” in a cancer plan for England on Wednesday.
“The government’s re-commitment to cancer warnings on alcohol labels is the first step needed address this. But labelling alone will not go far enough,” said Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK.
The alliance said the government should also look to introduce evidence-based measures to reduce alcohol consumption which increase the price of alcohol and reduce its availability and marketing.
The plan does not mention these policies, instead saying the government will “explore options to encourage consumers to reduce their alcohol intake with no- and low- alcohol alternative”.
A group of influential experts said last month that there is currently no firm evidence that alcohol-free drinks reduce alcohol consumption. ■