New EU-wide labelling commitment signed

Over the last four years brewers in the Irish market have been rolling out ingredients and calorie counts on beer labels on a voluntary basis but from 2022 Irish beer producers - as well as beer producers across Europe - will be committed to providing this information on the bottles and cans of any beer they produce for the EU market.

Drinks Ireland, the representative body for drinks manufacturers and suppliers in Ireland (formerly ABFI), recently signed a commitment with the European Commission to provide clear information regarding ingredients and energy values on labels.

A voluntary ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ was officially signed recently by the sector’s European trade association the Brewers of Europe on behalf of Drinks Ireland.

It followed significant engagement between the industry and the European Commission, demonstrating the benefits of a collaborative approach.

In Europe at present 60% of beers sold have calorie information while 85% already carry an ingredients list.