title: Health information on alcoholic beverage containers: has the alcohol industry's pledge in England to improve labelling been met?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the United Kingdom, alcohol warning labels are the subject of a voluntary agreement between industry and government. In 2011, as part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal in England, the industry pledged to ensure that 80% of products would have clear, legible health warning labelling, although an analysis commissioned by Portman found that only 57.1% met best practice. We assessed what proportion of alcohol products now contain the required health warning information, and its clarity and placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of alcohol labelling data.
  
  
  METHODS
  United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of the United Kingdom's 100 top-selling alcohol brands (n = 156 individual products).
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the product labels in relation to the presence of five labelling elements: information on alcohol units, government consumption guidelines, pregnancy warnings, reference to the Drinkaware website and a responsibility statement. We also assessed the size, colour and placement of text, and the size and colouring of the pregnancy warning logo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first three (required) elements were present on 77.6% of products examined. The mean font size of the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) unit guidelines (usually on the back of the product) was 8.17-point. The mean size of pregnancy logos was 5.95 mm. The pregnancy logo was on average smaller on wine containers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The UK Public Health Responsibility Deal alcohol labelling pledge has not been fully met. Labelling information frequently falls short of best practice, with font and logos smaller than would be accepted on other products with health effects.
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petticrew
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6663-7379
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knai
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Mary Alison
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eastmure
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mays
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D004739:England; D066275:Health Information Exchange / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
keywords: Alcohol; evaluation; labelling; marketing; public health policy; public health responsibility deal