Pregnancy warning label will be mandatory

On Friday, 17 July 2020, Food Forum Ministers decided that pregnancy warning labels with a prescribed red, black and white colour scheme will be mandated.

Six of 10 forum members voted for the mandating of the warning labels that were recommended by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Four ministers voted for an alternative scheme which had previously been recommended by the Australian Government.

FSANZ confirmed that the signal words would be changed from ‘Health Warning’ to ‘Pregnancy Warning’ and that the standard would be included in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The new mandatory label will also require the inclusion of a text statement that “alcohol can cause lifelong harm to your baby”.

While there has been much debate about the cost of implementing such a label, alcoholic beverage manufacturers will now need to implement the mandatory labels on all relevant packaging within the next three years.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Arcady