FSANZ calls for comment on alcohol bottle labels

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for comment on a proposal to clarify the requirements for making nutrition content claims about carbohydrate and sugar on alcoholic beverages.

Standard 1.2.7 in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code permits voluntary claims about carbohydrate content to be made on alcoholic beverages. Sugar is a component of carbohydrate, but the code lacks clarity around sugar content claims.

FSANZ has proposed amending the standard to clarify the permitted extent of carbohydrate and sugar claims on food containing more than 1.15% alcohol by volume.

The proposed amendment is intended to support consumers in making informed choices and provide clarity and certainty for enforcement agencies and industry.

FSANZ’s assessment considered evidence, stakeholder input, relevant Ministerial Policy Guidelines and an analysis of the costs and benefits of the proposed changes.

The call for submissions provides a summary of FSANZ’s assessment and includes draft amendments to the code. Interested parties may comment on the amendments until 6 pm (Canberra time) on 4 September 2023, when submissions close.

FSANZ is also considering a separate proposal to require energy content information on the label of alcoholic beverages under Proposal P1059.

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