Standard 2.7.1
Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food Containing Alcohol
Purpose
This Standard provides labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages and food containing alcohol.
Table of Provisions
1 Interpretation
2 Declaration of alcohol by volume
3 Standard drink labelling
4 Representations of low alcohol
5 Representations of ‘non-intoxicating’
6 Food containing alcohol not to be represented as non-alcoholic
Clauses
1 Interpretation
In this Standard –
standard drink means the amount of a beverage which contains 10 grams of ethanol, measured at 20C.
2 Declaration of alcohol by volume
(1) The label on a package of food listed in column 1 of the Table to this subclause must include a statement of the alcohol content in the corresponding form specified in column 2.
Table to subclause 2(1)
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Food, including alcoholic beverages, containing more than 1.15 % alcohol by volume | Expressed in mL/100 g or mL/100 mL or X% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME or words and expressions of the same or similar effect |
Alcoholic beverages containing 1.15% or less alcohol by volume Beverages containing 0.5% or more, but less than 1.15%, alcohol by volume | ‘CONTAINS NOT MORE THAN X% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME’ or words and expressions of the same or similar effect |
(2) The statement required by subclause (1) must, for the foods specified in column 1 of the Table to this subclause, be accurate to within the limits specified in column 2.
Table to subclause 2(2)
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Beer, cider and perry | 0.3% alc/vol |
Spirits, liqueurs, fortified wine, fortified fruit or vegetable wine, and all other alcoholic beverages containing more than 1.15 % alcohol by volume | 0.5% alc/vol |
Wine and fruit wine (including sparkling forms), and wine products and fruit or vegetable wine products containing more than 6.5 % alcohol by volume | 1.5% alc/vol |
3 Standard drink labelling
(1) Subject to subclause (2), the label on a package of a beverage or a food capable of being consumed as a beverage, which contains more than 0.5 % alcohol by volume, measured at 20C, must include a statement of the approximate number of standard drinks in the package -
(a) in the case of packages containing 10 or less standard drinks, accurate to the first decimal place; or
(b) in the case of packages containing more than 10 standard drinks, accurate to the nearest whole number of standard drinks.
(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to beverages packaged prior to 20 December 2002.
Examples:
For the purposes of subclause 3(1) the following examples are provided.
For a 750 mL bottle of 12.5% wine:
‘CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 7.4 STANDARD DRINKS’
For a 750 mL bottle of 37% spirit:
‘CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 22 STANDARD DRINKS’
For a 375 mL can of 4.9% beer:
‘CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 1.4 STANDARD DRINKS’
4 Representations of low alcohol
An alcoholic beverage which contains more than 1.15 % alcohol by volume must not be represented as a low alcohol beverage.
5 Representations of ‘non-intoxicating’
The label on a package of a beverage containing more than 0.5 % alcohol by volume must not include the words ‘non intoxicating’ or words of similar meaning.
6 Food containing alcohol not to be represented as non-alcoholic
Food containing alcohol must not be represented in a form which expressly or by implication suggests that the product is a non-alcoholic confection or non-alcoholic beverage.
Overview
The Standard 2.7.1 Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food Containing Alcohol, enacted in 2008, addresses the need for clear and accurate labelling of alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol to inform consumers about their alcohol content and standard drink quantities. This legislative instrument was developed to ensure consumers are adequately informed about the alcohol content in various food and beverage products, thereby facilitating informed consumption choices and contributing to public health objectives. The policy objective of this Standard is to provide accurate information about alcohol content to prevent misleading representations and promote consumer awareness.
The Standard is enacted by the relevant legislature to provide specific requirements for the declaration of alcohol by volume, standard drink labelling, and prohibiting misleading representations such as labelling a product as "low alcohol" or "non-intoxicating" when it contains more than a specified alcohol content. This legislative instrument aims to prevent misleading representations that could potentially harm public health by misinforming consumers about the alcohol content in their food and beverages.
Scope and Application
The Standard 2.7.1 Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food Containing Alcohol applies to food and alcoholic beverages that are packaged and sold, with a specific focus on the labelling requirements for alcohol content and standard drink information. The legislation mandates that food and beverages containing more than 1.15% alcohol by volume must clearly state the alcohol content in mL/100 g, mL/100 mL, or as a percentage of alcohol by volume. For beverages containing between 0.5% and 1.15% alcohol by volume, the label must state that it contains not more than a specified percentage of alcohol by volume. These labelling requirements are designed to ensure accuracy, with specified tolerances for different types of alcoholic beverages. Additionally, the Standard requires that any beverage or food capable of being consumed as a beverage, which contains more than 0.5% alcohol by volume, must include a statement of the approximate number of standard drinks in the package. This applies unless the beverage was packaged prior to 20 December 2002, in which case it is exempt. The Standard also prohibits representations of alcoholic beverages as low alcohol or non-intoxicating, as well as prohibiting the representation of food containing alcohol as non-alcoholic.
Key Provisions
The Standard 2.7.1 Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Food Containing Alcohol sets out specific labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages and food products that contain alcohol. The Standard includes requirements for the declaration of alcohol by volume (subclause 2), standard drink labelling (subclause 3), and prohibitions on certain representations (subclauses 4, 5, and 6). According to subclause 2, labels on packages must include a statement of the alcohol content, with the form of the statement dependent on the type of food or beverage. For example, foods and beverages with more than 1.15% alcohol by volume must express alcohol content in mL/100 g, mL/100 mL, X% alcohol by volume, or similar terms, while beverages with 0.5% or more but less than 1.15% alcohol by volume must state that they contain no more than a specified percentage of alcohol by volume. Furthermore, the alcohol content statement must be accurate to within specified limits (subclause 2(2)). According to subclause 3, packages of beverages or foods that contain more than 0.5% alcohol by volume must include a statement of the approximate number of standard drinks, with accuracy requirements depending on the number of standard drinks in the package. This requirement does not apply to beverages packaged prior to 20 December 2002. Subclauses 4, 5, and 6 impose restrictions on certain representations on labels. For example, alcoholic beverages that contain more than 1.15% alcohol by volume must not be represented as low alcohol beverages (subclause 4). Labels on packages of beverages containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume must not include the words ‘non intoxicating’ or similar terms (subclause 5). Finally, food containing alcohol must not be represented as a non-alcoholic product (subclause 6).
The Standard imposes several obligations on the parties or entities it governs. These obligations include accurately stating the alcohol content on labels, including the approximate number of standard drinks, and avoiding certain representations on labels. The Standard applies to all alcoholic beverages and food products that contain alcohol, with different requirements depending on the type of product and the alcohol content. The Standard does not specify the exact processes or procedures that must be followed to comply with its requirements, but it is likely that businesses will need to review their labelling practices and ensure that they are consistent with the Standard’s provisions.
Failure to comply with the Standard’s provisions may result in civil or criminal penalties. However, the Standard does not specify the exact penalties for non-compliance. It is likely that the penalties will depend on the specific circumstances of the non-compliance and may include fines or other sanctions. Additionally, non-compliance with the Standard may result in legal action being taken against the responsible party or entity, which could have further financial or reputational consequences. It is therefore important for businesses to ensure that they are compliant with the Standard’s requirements to avoid any potential penalties or legal action.