08 December 2017
Consumer group CHOICE is calling for improved labelling on alcoholic drinks to help people compare their beverage options.
"For many people Christmas is a time to enjoy a festive drink but if they want to choose lower kilojoule tipples, right now they can't easily compare their options" says CHOICE spokesperson Katinka Day.
"While consumers can find out the amount of kilojoules they'll be consuming if they bite into a hamburger or a packet of chocolate biscuits, a loophole in Australia's food regulation means that alcohol companies are exempt from providing this information," says Ms Day.
"It doesn't make sense that there's one rule for a can of coke and another for a pre-mix can of coke and whiskey."
CHOICE found that a can of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey & Cola has almost three times the kilojoules of a bottle of Pure Blonde Ultra Low Carb Lager.
Kilojoule labelling would reveal that a can of Smirnoff Ice Double Black has almost two and a half times the kilojoules as a glass of medium dry white wine.
"Our current labelling means that consumers can't make side-by-side comparisons of alcoholic beverages and we can't rely on alcohol companies fixing this themselves.
"While some alcohol companies voluntarily provide nutrition information, on closer look, they pull the sneaky tactic of not disclosing kilojoules on all of their products, especially their high kilojoule options."
Lion Corporation displays nutritional information on its beers, but not its ciders which are generally higher in kJ. Carlton and United Breweries publishes the kilojoule content of its beer and cider products but not for 22 of the 28 spirits listed on its website.
Alcohol is classified as a discretionary food by Australia's Dietary Guidelines – meaning it's packed with kilojoules but offers little or nothing in the way of beneficial nutrients – and is the number one food group contributing to Australians' energy intake from discretionary foods.[1]
Australia's Health and Food Ministers recently agreed to launch a public consultation on kilojoule labelling in alcoholic beverages in early 2018.[2]
CHOICE is calling on Health Ministers to require alcohol companies to be honest about what's in their drinks, and warns against allowing the industry to self-regulate.
"It's absurd alcohol companies can exploit this labelling loophole. Without such basic information, consumers aren't able to make an informed choice."
CHOICE is calling on people to help close the labelling loophole at choice.com.au/labelloophole
|
DRINK
|
kJ
|
|
Pure Blonde Ultra Low Carb Lager 375 mL
|
387 kJ
|
|
Somersby Apple Cider Bottle 330 mL
|
868 kJ
|
|
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey & Cola Can 375 mL
|
1069 kJ
|
|
Smirnoff Ice Double Black Can 6.5% 375 mL
|
1069 kJ
|
|
Average White Wine (medium dry), glass 150 mL
|
464 kJ
|
|
Average White Wine (medium dry) bottle 750 mL
|
2320 kJ
|
|
Average White Wine (sweet), glass 150 mL
|
627 kJ
|
|
Average White Wine (sweet) bottle 750 mL
|
3135 kJ
|
|
Average Red Wine, glass 150 mL
|
481 kJ
|
|
Average Red Wine bottle 750 mL
|
2405 kJ
|
|
Average Rose, glass 150 mL
|
496 kJ
|
|
Average Rose, bottle 750 mL
|
2480 kJ
|
|
Average Sparkling wine, glass 150 mL
|
438 kJ
|
|
Average Sparkling wine bottle 750 mL
|
2190 kJ
|
Thanks to LiveLighter for collecting and sharing the kilojoules in alcohol data we've used.
Media contact:
Tom Godfrey, CHOICE Head of Media and Spokesperson: 0430 172 669
