Diageo announced in London that Johnnie Walker will be the first global brand to provide per serving alcohol content and nutritional information on pack.
The move follows approval by Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau of labels in the U.S. featuring a serving facts panel including nutritional information and alcohol content on a per-serving basis. This information is currently available on several Diageo products in the U.S., including on the bottle of the newly-released Smirnoff Ice Electric, as well as on Crown Royal cartons.
Jon Pageler, who succeeds Guy Smith as executive vp-corporate relations, Diageo North America this morning, said U.S. labels will continue to follow current TTB guidelines. “We will, however, continue to work with the TTB to further modernize labeling in order to provide consumers with nutritional and alcohol content per serve information that can better help them make informed decisions about drinking, or choosing not to drink, as part of a balanced lifestyle,” he said.
By the end of the year, Diageo said, up to 30 million bottles of Johnnie Walker Red Label with on-pack alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve will be on the shelves, helping consumers understand what’s in their glass. Every year around 115 million bottles of Johnnie Walker Red Label are typically produced and shipped around the world.
Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo said: “We believe people should have the best possible information to make informed choices about what they drink: this includes alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve. Johnnie Walker is one of our largest global brands, which means these new labels will arm millions of people around the world with clear information about what’s in their glass and in a way they can understand at a glance.”
Carolyn Panzer, Director of Alcohol in Society, Diageo, said: “The new scheme is simple, clear and attractive – and most importantly, it’s based on what consumers want. There is no beverage of moderation, only a practice of moderation, and that is why we are committed to providing information on alcohol per serving, which enables people to compare the amount of alcohol in different kinds of drinks – from beer to bourbon – at a glance. Current labeling on most alcoholic beverages does not reflect how people consume alcohol and therefore does not allow consumers to understand how much alcohol is in their favorite drink or what is in their glass.”