The Brewers of Europe and its members have committed to labelling ingredients and energy values on all beer bottles and cans in the EU by 2022.
A total of 37 initial signatories, including 25 national brewers’ associations, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as part of an event that showcased hundreds of beer brands from all over Europe that already meet the labelling requirements.
The purpose of the MoU is for companies to take public responsibility for the declaration of ingredients and energy information on the labels of their products.
According to figures from The Brewers of Europe – which brings together national brewers’ associations from 29 European countries – the continent’s brewers have been making “significant progress” towards better consumer information, with 60% of beers already labelling calories, whilst 85% carry an ingredients list.
Pavlos Photiades, president of The Brewers of Europe, said: “This is a significant step in a process we started four years ago, demonstrating our members’ ambition to ensure all beers label ingredients and calories.
“Fulfilling this commitment, Europe’s brewing sector is meeting the expectations of consumers on how alcoholic beverages should be providing ingredients and calorie information.”
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you for your commitments to alcohol labelling,” he said.
“And I also want to encourage you to continue being a pioneer around this issue in the wider alcohol sector. Consumers have a right to know more. Many of them want more details on what their drinks contain and what it means for their health.
“They want this information to be clear and transparent – a recurrent message we receive in all our public health and food safety work.”
