IRELAND – Ireland has introduced mandatory health labeling on alcoholic drinks, becoming the first country in the world to do so.

Following a new law being signed off by government officials, the labels on alcoholic drinks sold in Ireland will soon begin to highlight the grams of alcohol, the calorie content for each product along with any associated health risks connected to the contents.

The regulations, which have been signed off by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly as part of the Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023 and the remaining provisions of Section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, will become law from 22 May 2026.

Labels will now not only highlight any associated risks of consuming alcohol when pregnant but will also warn of the risk of liver disease or cancers and will also direct consumers to the HSE website Ask About Alcohol for further information.

The new measures are also set to include health information for customers in licensed premises.

Donnelly said about the new measures: “This law is designed to give all of us as consumers a better understanding of the alcohol content and health risks associated with consuming alcohol.

“With that information, we can make an informed decision about our alcohol consumption.”

The new regulations being rolled out across Ireland bring the country’s alcohol aisles up to date with other food and drink product labels.

As Donnelly pointed out: “Packaging of other food and drink products already contains health information and, where appropriate, health warnings. This law is bringing alcohol products into line with that.”

The decision to introduce mandatory health labeling on alcohol products came in response to alarming statistics surrounding alcohol-related harms in Ireland, in combination with low population awareness among Irish consumers regarding the health risks associated with alcohol consumption.

The Irish Health Survey, conducted in Ireland every year with over 7000 respondents, showed that 7% of respondents believed it was safe to consume a small amount of alcohol while pregnant and almost 80% were unaware of the risks of diseases such as breast cancer.

Those aged 15–24 were typically less aware of the risks associated with alcohol consumption than other age groups.

With the new regulations, Ireland will be the first country with comprehensive health labeling on all alcohol products.

Ireland will also be the first country in the EU and the second country worldwide (after South Korea) to introduce cancer warnings on alcohol products.

Minister Donnelly expressed his satisfaction with Ireland’s pioneering role: “I welcome that we are the first country in the world to take this step and introduce comprehensive health labeling of alcohol products. I look forward to other countries following our example.”

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