Alcohol labels keep Australians in the dark about health risks, new study finds

New research from The George Institute for Global Health, published today in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, has found alcohol companies are more than twice as likely to tell consumers to "drink responsibly" than to explain why. The study audited over 6,000 alcohol labels across three major Australian retailers and found only 25% carried a voluntary health warning, almost all aimed at specific groups such as minors or pregnant women rather than the general risks of drinking. Meanwhile 65% featured vague "responsible consumption" messages with no mention of harms like cancer or liver disease, usually hidden on the back or bottom of the pack. Researchers are calling on the Australian Government to follow the UK and Ireland in mandating alcohol health warning labels.