Drinks trade welcomes Responsibility Deal
Drinks trade leaders say they can play a key part in creating a responsible drinking culture in the UK.
Clearer labelling and more action to curb under-age drinking are among the key pledges from the industry in the Responsibility Deal with government, announced this week.
Despite criticism from health lobbyists, who argue alcohol producers and marketers have had too much influence on the scheme, the drinks industry has hailed the deal as a big step towards creating a responsible drinking culture in the UK.
WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles said: “The drinks industry is committed to playing its part alongside other stakeholders in tackling alcohol misuse.
“Today’s announcement marks a positive step in a partnership process designed to ensure that consumers have the information they need to make informed choices.
“We look forward to making further progress in the months ahead.”
Simon Litherland, managing director of Diageo GB, said: “The Responsibility Deal is a good example of how we can be part of a collaborative approach to improve the long-term health of the public. We firmly believe that as the leading premium drinks business in the UK, we have an important role to play, sharing our experience and knowledge of the sector alongside Government, NGOs, the medical community and academics.”
Sue Clark, SABMiller’s director of corporate affairs, said: “The pledge on alcohol says ‘we will foster a culture of responsible drinking, which will help people to drink within guidelines’.
“We have made three individual pledges, which focus on helping consumers make informed choices about alcohol, providing support for the responsible retailing of alcohol and supporting research into effective ways of promoting a culture of responsible drinking. We will publish details of our progress against all these commitments.”
