Updating labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is consulting on options for updating guidance on low-alcohol descriptors. Our aim is to increase substitution of alcoholic drinks with ‘alcohol free’ or low-alcohol (‘NoLo’) alternatives among people who drink above low risk levels. We are specifically seeking views and evidence on:

• DHSC’s recommended conditions of using the descriptors ‘alcohol free’, ‘de-alcoholised’, ‘non-alcoholic’ and ‘low alcohol’ and whether such conditions should be set in regulations
• displaying numerical information of the alcoholic strength on the label
• displaying the UK chief medical officers’ low risk drinking guidelines on the label and alternative ways of communicating this information to consumers
• displaying an age restriction on NoLo products and alternative options for preventing children and young people from accessing and consuming NoLo drinks

Alongside this consultation, we have published an evidence review of the potential known health risks of describing alcohol substitute drinks containing 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) as ‘alcohol free’.

We are seeking views and evidence on what more government and NoLo retailers and producers can do to increase substitution of alcoholic drinks with NoLo alternatives among people who drink above low risk levels, to help reduce alcohol harms.

We welcome submissions from individuals and organisations, including those involved in the manufacturing and retail of NoLo products, enforcement and public health. While OHID is leading this consultation in England, we would welcome evidence from across the UK.

This consultation forms part of the government’s smarter regulation programme of regulatory reform measures that began in May 2023 with the publication of Smarter regulation to grow the economy. Smarter regulation is about improving regulation and guidance for businesses across the board, ensuring it is clear, proportionate and does not unnecessarily impose burdens on businesses which restrict innovation and growth. We will be considering the impact on businesses of any proposed changes to guidance, alongside our primary aim of achieving improvements to public health.