Diageo Calls for the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to Allow Serving Fact Information on Alcohol Beverage Bottles

Seven Years Later, TTB's Decision to Put Alcohol Serving Facts Labels on Bottles and Cans Still Under Review

News provided by

Dec 31, 2010, 11:21 ET

NORWALK, Conn., Dec. 31, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, the world's leading distilled spirits, beer and wine company, today called for the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to rule on Notice 41, which would allow alcohol beverage companies to voluntarily provide their consumers with Serving Fact Information such as serving size, alcohol per serving, carbohydrates and calories on bottles and cans.

In December 2003, a coalition of consumer and public health advocates called on the TTB to allow serving fact information on its products. Shortly afterward, Diageo announced its support for voluntary Serving Facts labeling as well. Seven years later, the agency has yet to rule on this critical matter.

"Consumers want more information, and that is why we have been petitioning the TTB to allow us to provide basic serving facts to our consumers," said Guy L. Smith, Executive Vice President, Diageo North America. "Seven years later, we are no closer to giving consumers the information they want about carbohydrates, calories, alcohol content and alcohol per serving size. In fact, this continuous delay is a detriment to consumers."

According to a 2008 poll released by the National Consumers League and Shape Up America!, 77% of those surveyed listed Alcohol Per Serving as most important when asked what should be included on a serving facts label for an alcohol beverage. And despite the recent scrutiny of alcoholic energy drinks and the announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate these products, the TTB has yet to address the labelling issue that would help consumers understand what they are consuming when they drink an alcohol beverage.

Currently, alcohol beverages are the only consumable product that have been largely prohibited from including Serving Fact Information such as alcohol per serving, calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein on all of their labels. The United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services define a standard serving of alcohol as twelve fluid ounces of regular beer, 5 fluid ounces of wine or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wines. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray and Captain Morgan.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

SOURCE Diageo