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Beer, wine, and spirits will carry age restrictions globally, announce leading producers in new drive against underage drinking

Symbols or written age restrictions will be added to labels on alcohol drinks [1] produced by members of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), sending an even clearer message that these products are not for minors.
 
The initiative, which also applies to alcohol-free extensions of alcohol brands, is one of five clear and direct actions announced by IARD as part of a new drive to accelerate efforts to reduce underage drinking globally.
 
Recognizing the growing importance of digital communications, IARD members commit to taking further action to prevent minors from seeing or interacting with their brands online – building on a unique partnership with leading digital platforms announced last year. IARD members also invited online retailers and others to work with them to develop global standards for the online sale and delivery of alcohol. The full set of actions can be found at: http://bit.ly/IARDactions
 
IARD members oppose any consumption of alcohol by minors. They invite retailers to work with them to do more to prevent sales to minors. And, they urge parents not to share alcohol with their children as they call on all parts of society to come together to eliminate underage drinking.
 
Albert Baladi, President and CEO of Beam Suntory and IARD CEO Chair, said:
 
“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.
 
“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.”
 
Ends
 
Notes to Editors

  1. Symbols or words will be added to labels on alcohol drinks where legally permissible. In markets that already have a government mandated warning and that may not permit such symbol or communication, we would need to consult government stakeholders before taking action.
  2. The full set of actions can be found at http://bit.ly/IARDactions.
  3. The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking worldwide, and promoting understanding of responsible drinking, among those who choose to drink. IARD is supported by the leading global beer, wine, and spirits producers – in their common purpose of being part of the solution to reducing the harmful use of alcohol. For more information on our membership and what we do, please visit www.iard.org.
  4. IARD members are: Anheuser-Busch InBev; Asahi Group Holdings; Bacardi; Beam Suntory; Brown-Forman Corporation; Carlsberg; Diageo; Heineken; Kirin Holdings Company; Molson Coors; Pernod Ricard; and William Grant and Sons.  

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