Alcohol labelling: evidence-based health policy in action
HRB evidence and analysis have been instrumental in informing the decision makers shaping Ireland's new alcohol labelling regulations. In this blog post, Research Officer Anne Doyle explains the data underpinning this landmark legislation - and the importance of making people aware of the facts around alcohol consumption so they can make informed health choices.
6 min read - 28 Sep 2023

Irish public health policy made international headlines earlier this year, when Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, signed into law the world’s most comprehensive alcohol labelling regulations. From 2026 onwards, it will be mandatory for alcohol products to be labelled with comprehensive health information – including warnings on the risks of alcohol use that are more detailed than anything seen previously in Ireland or elsewhere.
While the legislation has met with considerable opposition from the drinks industry, it is a prime example of evidence-based health policy in action. The Health Research Board (HRB) has been proud to play a key role in supplying this evidence to decision makers through our Alcohol Overview publications, which collate evidence of alcohol-related harm from a variety of sources: HRB information systems (alcohol treatment, alcohol-related psychiatric hospital admissions, and alcohol-related deaths), our nationwide surveys on drinking patterns, other information systems based in Ireland (acute hospital discharges and self-harm episodes), and analysis on alcohol policy in Ireland.
Our role is to present the objective facts and figures. Armed with this knowledge, Government can decide which interventions are most appropriate to support public health objectives.
Risks are certain – awareness is not
When it comes to the harms caused by alcohol, the evidence is clear. Alcohol contributes to more than 200 types of disease and injuries, and 3 million deaths every year worldwide. That’s over 5% of all deaths. Categorised as a Class 1 carcinogen since 1988, alcohol also increases the risk of various cancers, including liver, throat, bowel, and breast cancer.
Yet while the majority of the population drink alcohol, many in a harmful way, awareness of these risks is low. Our own HRB research has shown, for instance, that just 21% of the Irish public know of the risk associated between alcohol use and breast cancer. It is important that everyone has the facts to make decisions for our own health. Having clear information on the labels of alcohol products is an important way to ensure consumers are aware of these potential harms.
Labelling – a proven ‘best buy’ practice
Over the course of more than a decade, the HRB has provided research to inform the design and implementation of Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Act, 2018: comprehensive legislation recognising that alcohol is a public health issue, and that the harms caused by alcohol need to be dealt with in a systematic way. At the heart of this legislation are a number of evidence-based ‘best buy’ practices, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and recognised in HRB research – practices which include alcohol labelling.
Alcohol warning labels are already present in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, France, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and the USA, albeit with substantially less detailed and varied information than those that we will see in Ireland. Once commenced, the Irish regulations will require all alcohol products to contain:
- A warning informing the public of the danger of alcohol use
- A warning outlining the danger of alcohol use when pregnant
- A warning informing the public of the direct link between alcohol and cancers
- The quantity in grams of alcohol within in the container
- The calorie content in the container
- Details of an independent website providing public health information in relation to alcohol use
Prioritising public health
The law brings alcohol products into line with packaging of other food and drink products which already contain health information and, where appropriate, health warnings. HRB researchers have contributed to studies showing widespread public support for labels. However, there had been concern in public health circles that labelling may be delayed due to substantial opposition to the legislation from the alcohol industry.
Experience from other jurisdictions lends weight to this concern. For example, in 2017, the Northern Territories Alcohol Labels Study added “Alcohol can cause cancer” warning labels to alcohol products at a liquor store in Yellowknife, Canada. Initially due to run for eight months, the study was stopped after only a few weeks following strong alcohol industry lobbying – with industry groups threatening to sue the Yukon government for defamation, damages for lost sales, and packaging trademark and copyright infringement.
Considering such determined efforts to contest the introduction of alcohol labelling, its signing into law in Ireland marks an important milestone for public health. Ireland is emerging as a world leader in this space, a reflection of Government’s commitment to putting health and consumer rights before commercial interests.
Empowering people to make informed health decisions
Ultimately, the labelling regulations are designed to give all consumers a better understanding of alcohol content and alcohol-related health risks so that they can make an informed decision about their alcohol use. As Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton stated: “Everyone has a right to be told about the risks associated with a product before we consume it. This law is designed to ensure all consumers of alcohol have access to clear and concise information about the risks from alcohol.”
And while it is an important step in the right direction, it must also be recognised that labelling is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to reducing alcohol-related harms. Our research consistently points to the need for coordinated action across a range of areas if we are to achieve lasting change. This is reflected in the spectrum of measures provided for in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, many of which have now been implemented: the structural separation of alcohol products in mixed retail outlets, minimum unit pricing, restrictions on alcohol advertising and sports sponsorship, and restrictions on the sale and supply of alcohol, particularly price-based promotions, to reduce affordability and availability of alcohol. The combined effect of these interventions can reduce overall alcohol consumption from the current Irish levels of 10.2 litres per adult in 2022, to safer levels such as those in Canada or Norway, at 8.81 and 7.14 litres per adult respectively.
The information and evidence provided by the HRB has played a key role in the emergence of this population health approach to alcohol in Ireland and the preparation of this landmark legislation. We look forward to continuing to deliver research and data to support its implementation, and, of equal importance, to measure its impact on public health in the years ahead.
All HRB publications on our alcohol research are available to view online, for example: the latest figures on alcohol treatment demand, the most recent HRB Alcohol Overview, or our 2022 report on Alcohol and Drug Use in Young People.
6 min read - 28 Sep 2023