Finland: Beer packages to carry nutrition information labels

Finland’s Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry announced on November, 5 that its members had agreed to introduce nutrition information labels on all beer and cider packaging by the end of 2010, STT reported on November, 6.

The lobby opposed the government's plan, now scrapped, to introduce health warnings on bottles and cans containing mild alcoholic beverages.

"That alcohol use endangers health is not news for anybody," said Timo Jaatinen, the chief executive of the federation, which counts Heineken subsidiary Hartwall, Nokian Panimo, Carlsberg subsidiary Sinebrychoff and Olvi as its members.

"But the amount of calories is an essential piece of information."

EU legislation stipulates that only alcoholic beverages marketed with nutritional claims, like low-calorie or gluten-free, are required to carry nutritional information.

The European Parliament is debating a proposal to make nutritional labelling obligatory for all alcoholic beverages.

12 November, 2008