Decanter World Wine AwardsUk companies endorse government health plans
- Tuesday 15 March 2011
Signatories to the deal agree voluntary codes of practice aimed at reducing excessive drinking, excessive calorie or salt intake, improving workplace health and other measures.
Yesterday a group of health bodies including the British Medical Association announced they would not sign on the grounds that government plans do not go far enough.
But more than 150 firms, including Diageo, McDonald’s, Asda, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, The Co-operative and Waitrose and several major food firms have signed.
Asda has pledged to end front-of-store alcohol displays by the end of April, while Heineken says it will cut the alcohol content of one if its major brands – as yet unspecified – by the end of May.
Drink producers including Diageo and Carlsberg have pledged to provide clear unit labelling, support awareness campaigns and develop a new sponsorship code on responsible drinking.
Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association welcomed the plans.
He said, ‘The drinks industry is committed to playing its part alongside other stakeholders in tackling alcohol misuse. Today's announcement marks a positive step in a partnership process designed to ensure that consumers have the information they need to make informed choices. We look forward to making further progress in the months ahead.’
The British Beer and Pub Association said that producers accounting for more than 90% of UK beer sales have signed up to the deal, promising more visible alcohol unit information in British pubs, and to continue funding initiatives for responsible drinking campaigns.
One of the key pledges on the government’s plan is to achieve ‘clear unit labelling on more than 80% of alcohol by 2013.’
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley (pictured) said better labelling and more information for consumers will eliminate the need for tough regulation.
He said, 'Public health is everyone's responsibility and there is a role for all of us, working in partnership, to tackle these challenges.'
Have your say!
Peter Bowyer
March 16 11:46
The comments yesterday reflected a wide divergence of opinion on the subject - probably equalling the divergence of opinions of those diretly involved - producers, retailers and medics. However the vast, vast majority of consumers drink responsibly. Why should they have to suffer by way of restrictions, extra costs, a general perception which is brewing of anyone who drinks alcohol should be treated as a periah...? As always the concentration is in the wrong area; those that binge drink - who are the problem - are not going to be influenced by any of the proposed changes. What is required is a whole culture change of social responsibility - no amount of label changes or increases inprices etc is going to change this. We have to try to engender a change in public opinion that the individual is actually responsible for their own actions - not that the Nanny State is there to control their activities at every stage of their lives.
Kevin Ecock
March 16 09:58
This debate needs to separate fiscal responsibility from moral responsibility. These are not mutually exclusive but together they tend to polarise argument where polarity is unhelpful.
The drinks industry is currently being herded when it should be leading by example. For too long it has paid lip service to the problems in society that it has caused. This is not as result of producing products that contain alcohol. No, it is as a result of marketing and sales operating without a moral compass.
It has been seen as very unhelpful to bring the concept of moral responsibility into board rooms that are focused on quarterly sales and profitability. This is a shame as moral accountability emcompasses a wide agenda most of which is becoming not only fashionable but necessary in order to protect future earnings.
The eventual winners and leaders will not be part of the driven herd but will have found its own and new ground from which it will work towards developing its products within a healthy marketplace. This can only be achieved by accepting responsibility, which, in this case, demands embracing a set of morals designed to protect current and potential customers within the wider alcohol drinks industry.
James Funnell
March 15 15:51
The drinks industry sign up to an insignificant and meaningless 'Health Responsibility Deal' that makes them appear to have a social and moral conscience, without having to implement any significant reforms or damage their profit margins.
Surely this is the PR dream?