An unprecedented alliance of doctors, charities, and public health experts has written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him to compel alcohol producers to include explicit cancer warnings on cans and bottles of beer, wine, and spirits. The coalition, coordinated by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), argues that such labels would address “shockingly low” public awareness that alcohol causes seven forms of cancer and 17,000 cases annually in the UK.
The proposed labels must be “bold and unambiguous,” according to the WCRF, moving beyond vague advice like “consume in moderation.” Kate Oldridge-Turner, the WCRF’s head of policy and public affairs, stated: “Providing alcohol warning labels would empower millions to make informed choices by clearly understanding the risks.” Evidence cited by the WCRF and Cancer Research UK shows alcohol increases the risk of breast, bowel, stomach, head, neck, liver, and mouth cancer.
Ireland is set to become the first country to mandate cancer warning labels on alcoholic products from next May, with warnings stating “there is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers.” Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, urged the UK to follow suit, calling improved labelling “a fundamental consumer right.” He criticised current regulations for “keeping drinkers in the dark.”
However, the drinks industry dismissed the call. A spokesperson for the Portman Group, which oversees alcohol labelling in the UK, argued that blanket cancer warnings are “not a proportionate policy measure” and could create “unnecessary anxiety.” They noted that most products already include chief medical officers’ guidance to drink no more than 14 units a week, and that most drinkers already adhere to this, keeping their risks low.
The World Health Organization’s European office has declared that clear health warning labels on alcohol, including specific cancer warnings, are “a cornerstone of the right to health.” Dr Gauden Galea, a WHO adviser, urged policymakers to resist pressure from commercial actors claiming such warnings do not work. In January, the US surgeon general also called for cancer warning labels, noting alcohol leads to about 100,000 cancer diagnoses annually in the US.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Drinking alcohol increases the risk of a range of health issues, including several cancers. That is why we recommend people drink within the UK chief medical officer’s alcohol guidelines of fewer than 14 units a week, and strongly recommend these are displayed clearly on all alcohol products.”
