School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia.
Global Obesity Centre, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 11;19(8):4609. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084609.
Alcoholic beverages sold in Australia are largely exempt from requirements to display nutrition information on packages, unlike other food and beverages. However, alcoholic beverage manufacturers can provide nutrition-related information voluntarily. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of nutrition-related information on packaged alcoholic beverages in Australia. An in-store audit of the largest alcohol retailer in Melbourne, Australia was conducted in July 2021. A systematic sampling method was used to assess the presence and format of nutrition information on 850 alcoholic beverages across 5 alcohol categories (wine ( = 200), beer ( 200), spirits ( 200), ready-to-drink beverages ( 140) and ciders ( 110)). Most products ( 682, 80.2%) did not present nutrition-related information. Where information was presented ( 168), it was most frequently on ready-to-drink beverages ( 81, 57.9%) and least frequently on spirits ( 9, 4.5%) and wines ( 9, 4.5%). Nutrition information was most frequently in the format of a nutrition information panel ( 150, 89.3%) and approximately half of labelled beverages ( 86, 51.2%) included a nutrition content claim (e.g., 'low in carbs'). Given limited voluntary implementation of nutrition labelling on alcoholic beverages in Australia and the substantial contribution of alcoholic beverages to energy intake, consideration of mandatory nutrition labelling, in a standardised format designed to maximise public health benefit, on alcoholic beverages is warranted.
在澳大利亚销售的酒精饮料在很大程度上无需在包装上显示营养信息，这与其他食品和饮料不同。然而，酒精饮料制造商可以自愿提供与营养相关的信息。本研究旨在调查澳大利亚包装酒精饮料中与营养相关信息的流行情况。2021 年 7 月，对澳大利亚墨尔本最大的酒类零售商进行了店内审计。采用系统抽样方法，评估了 5 个酒精类别（葡萄酒（=200）、啤酒（200）、烈酒（200）、即饮饮料（140）和苹果酒（110））中 850 种酒精饮料的营养信息的存在和格式。大多数产品（682 种，80.2%）没有提供与营养相关的信息。在提供信息的产品中（168 种），最常见的是即饮饮料（81 种，57.9%），最不常见的是烈酒（9 种，4.5%）和葡萄酒（9 种，4.5%）。营养信息最常以营养信息面板的形式呈现（150 种，89.3%），大约一半标有营养成分的饮料（86 种，51.2%）包含营养含量声明（例如，“低碳水化合物”）。鉴于澳大利亚对酒精饮料的营养标签自愿实施有限，以及酒精饮料对能量摄入的大量贡献，有必要考虑在标准化格式下对酒精饮料实施强制性营养标签，以最大限度地提高公共卫生效益。
