Premixed alcoholic drinks are increasingly marketed with “better for you” claims such as “low sugar”, “gluten-free” and “low carb”, but researchers say these labels create a “health halo” that shifts focus away from the harms of alcohol, which is a Group 1 carcinogen with no safe level of consumption.
Ultra-processed products with health claims
A recent paper led by Prof Simone Pettigrew at the George Institute for Global Health audited 534 ready-to-drink alcoholic products and found one in five did not display a mandatory ingredients list. Of the 424 products that did list ingredients, almost half contained industrial additives associated with ultra-processing, such as synthetic colours, sweeteners and flavour enhancers, placing them in the same category as chips and soft drinks.
Despite being ultra-processed, nearly half of those products carried “better for you” labels such as low/no sugar, low calorie, gluten free, low/no carbs and other claims. Pettigrew said that “as soon as you put low sugar, low carb, gluten free, any of these on a product, people assume it’s a relatively healthy product overall”.
No safe level of alcohol
Julia Stafford, deputy chair of the Cancer Council’s nutrition, alcohol and physical activity committee, said alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen – the highest risk category alongside tobacco and asbestos – meaning there is no “healthy” level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk. She said marketing claims should not guide consumer behaviour, and people should always read the full nutrition label, including ingredients.
“The ingredient of most concern in an alcohol product is the alcohol,” she said. “It has nothing to do with the carb or sugar content.”
Health claims influence buying
Dr Aimee Brownbill, policy and research director at the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (Fare), said alcohol brands know people are increasingly health conscious. A Fare survey published in 2025 found 44% of Australians want to stop or reduce drinking, with most citing health-related reasons. Brands use terms like “clean”, “natural” and “low sugar” to counteract alcohol being viewed as unhealthy.
Research from more than 2,000 Australian adults found almost half of participants were more likely to buy products marketed with such health claims. Younger people and those identifying as female had particularly positive attitudes towards the claims, especially around lower sugar and calories.
Pettigrew noted that alcohol brands are also promoting products as containing collagen and electrolytes. “This natural kind of terminology and these healthy-sounding ingredients are creeping in to [alcohol] labels,” she said. She advised people to read the entire nutritional label and be aware that healthy-sounding ingredients cannot counteract the impact of alcohol.
