Alcoholic beverage makers in drive to reduce underage drinking

Symbols or written age restrictions will be added to labels on alcohol drinks produced by members of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD).

The initiative, which also applies to alcohol-free extensions of alcohol brands, is one of five actions announced by IARD as part of a new drive to accelerate efforts to reduce underage drinking globally.

Recognising the growing importance of digital communications, IARD members – including AB InBev, Diageo and Heineken – will take further action to prevent minors from seeing or interacting with their brands online.

IARD members have also invited online retailers and others to work with them to develop global standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol.

“These five actions mark another step towards our goal of eliminating underage drinking. Minors should not drink alcohol, and we proactively support strict enforcement of legal purchase and drinking age regulation,” said Albert Baladi, CEO of Beam Suntory and IARD CEO chair.

“Although underage drinking has fallen in many parts of the world, this trend is not universal. We want to accelerate progress and work with others to eliminate underage drinking in every community through a whole-of-society approach.

“We call on other producers to join us. We call on retailers to work with us to do more to prevent minors from buying alcohol in stores and online. And we call on parents and other adults to support us by not buying alcohol for, or sharing alcohol with, children and minors, even if they do this with good intentions. Together, we must ensure everyone reinforces the message that underage drinking is socially unacceptable.”

IARD members are: AB InBev, Asahi Group, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin Holdings, Molson Coors, Pernod Ricard, and William Grant and Sons.

SpiritsEurope, the voice of the spirits sector at EU level, has backed the initiative.

“Recent trends have shown that Europeans are enjoying a more responsible relationship with alcohol and it is particularly encouraging to note that underage drinking has declined dramatically across Europe in recent years,” said Ulrich Adam, director-general of SpiritsEurope.

“That said, we want to see this trend continue, and we are delighted to see our sector commit to do more to accelerate the decline in underage drinking and encourage everyone to play their part.”