Provision of information to consumers about the calorie content of alcoholic drinks: did the Responsibility Deal pledge by alcohol retailers and producers increase the availability of calorie information?

M Petticrew; N Douglas; C Knai; N Maani Hessari; M A Durand; E Eastmure; N Mays

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2017.04.020

Provision of information to consumers about the calorie content of alcoholic drinks: did the Responsibility Deal pledge by alcohol retailers and producers increase the availability of calorie information?

Public Health. 2017 Aug:149:159-166. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.04.020. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

Authors

M Petticrew¹, N Douglas², C Knai², N Maani Hessari³, M A Durand², E Eastmure², N Mays²

Affiliations

¹ Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK; Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK. Electronic address: mark.petticrew@lshtm.ac.uk.
² Policy Innovation Research Unit, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK.
³ Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK.

PMID: 28625335
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.04.020

Abstract

Objectives: Alcohol is a significant source of dietary calories and is a contributor to obesity. Industry pledges to provide calorie information to consumers have been cited as reasons for not introducing mandatory ingredient labelling. As part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) in England, alcohol retailers and producers committed to providing consumers with information on the calorie content of alcoholic drinks. This study examines what was achieved following this commitment and considers the implications for current industry commitments to provide information on alcohol calories.

Study design: Analysis of RD pledge delivery plans and progress reports. Assessment of calorie information in supermarkets and in online stores.

Methods: (i) Analysis of the content of pledge delivery plans and annual progress reports of RD signatories to determine what action they had committed to, and had taken, to provide calorie information. (ii) Analysis of the availability of calorie information on product labels; in UK supermarkets; and on online shopping sites and websites.

Results: No information was provided in any of 55 stores chosen to represent all the main UK supermarkets. Calorie information was not routinely provided on supermarkets' websites, or on product labels.

Conclusions: One of the stated purposes of the RD was to provide consumers with the information to make informed health-related choices, including providing information on the calorie content of alcoholic drinks. This study indicates that this did not take place to any significant extent. The voluntary implementation of alcohol calorie labelling by industry needs to continue to be carefully monitored to determine whether and how it is done.

Keywords: Alcohol; Calories; Evaluation; Labelling; Obesity; Public health policy; Responsibility Deal.

MeSH terms

Alcoholic Beverages / analysis*
Commerce
Energy Intake*
England
Food Industry
Health Policy
Humans
Product Labeling / statistics & numerical data*
Public Health
Social Responsibility