Trump’s proposed tariffs – and how they could affect the spirits industry
Tequila and Canadian whisky could be affected by the next round of tariffs
Regulation & safety
Pressure mounts across Europe to ban energy drink sales to children
Energy drinks have long been under fire from health campaigners: now governments are taking note.
What’s wrong with Europe’s novel food approval system?
The novel foods approval system has evolved since its birth near three decades ago, but has it progressed enough to meet the needs of a growing and innovation-heavy food and drink sector?
Saccharin daily intake threshold almost doubles post EFSA review
Safe daily intake limits for saccharin have been almost doubled by the European Food Safety Authority following a new review on the sweetener.
Coffee companies welcome EUDR delay – but ‘time alone is not enough’
Around 80% of the world’s coffee is produced by smallholder coffee farmers - so what do the EU’s deforestation regulations mean for the coffee industry?
Trend spotting: What’s the ‘next big thing’ in beverage innovation?
There’s no shortage of beverage innovation out there: but which ideas truly have the potential to shape the industry in the years to come? And how can innovators get a great idea off the ground and into the mass market? Join us this week for our FREE...
UK looks to expand sugar tax
Championing the success of the policy so far, the UK government wants to increase the impact of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. It’s already announced an increase to the tax: and is also considering extending it to include milk-based drinks.
UK considers extending sugar tax to milk-based drinks
Milk-based drinks are currently exempt from the UK's Soft Drinks Industry Levy: but the tax's scope could be extended to include sugary milkshakes, dairy drinks and RTD coffee.
Coca-Cola Consolidated recalls ‘zero sugar’ drinks that contain sugar
Coca-Cola Consolidated LLC has recalled cartons of Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade: which in fact contained regular Minute Maid Lemonade.
Could smaller alcohol serving sizes become more common?
A trial in UK pubs swapped the standard British pint for a smaller size, reducing overall alcohol consumption by nearly 10%. Researchers say it's a measure that could be considered in public health policies. How could this idea evolve?
Scotland increases Minimum Unit Price for alcohol
Scotland is doubling down on tackling alcohol harm with increased minimum unit pricing (MUP) and a new push to shake up alcohol marketing rules.
WHO puts alcohol in the firing line: How could regulations shape up as a result?
The World Health Organization is getting serious on alcohol. And its policy recommendations can be expected to influence alcohol regulation at a country level. From minimum unit pricing to marketing restrictions, we take a look at the direction of travel.
News
Brits call for Deposit Return Scheme for all materials
Almost three quarters of Brits want to see the new Labour government press ahead with a deposit return scheme (DRS) for all drinks containers.
Hello Kitty wine taken off shelves in UK
A ‘Hello Kitty’ wine will no longer be sold in the UK after the alcohol industry’s self-regulator said it was likely to appeal to children: acting as a warning to alcohol brands who are tempted to draw on child-like branding or nostalgia.
Alcohol labeling: Are consumers getting enough information about what they drink in the UK?
Ingredient lists, calorie counts, alcohol strength and more – are UK consumers getting all the information they want from their alcohol labels?
Fake alcohol: Can alcohol brands ever win the battle against counterfeit goods?
How big a problem is counterfeit alcohol - and what can be done to fight the problem?
New alcohol labelling requirements for Australia and New Zealand move a step closer, industry generally supportive
Moves to introduce new alcoholic labelling standards in Australia and New Zealand, including listing carbohydrate, sugar, and energy values on pack, have moved a step closer.
How to spot fake alcohol
Fake alcohol refers to drinks produced illegally and made to look like well-known brands – but these products can be lethal. How can people identify what's genuine and what's counterfeit?
Is caffeine damaging to heart health?
New research puts the daily cuppa under the microscope. But how will the food and beverage industry react and what are the NPD opportunities?
News
Scotch whisky secures protected status in Brazil
Scotch whisky has secured Geographical Indication (GI) in Brazil, protection that could be worth £25m to the industry over the next five years.
Huel and Zoe in hot water with advertising watchdog over testimonials
The UK’s advertising watchdog took issue with exactly who provided the testimonials for the fast-growing brands' Facebook ads: Steven Bartlett, a TV personality who has a commercial interest in each company.
Soda taxes & school bans: Researchers call for stronger regulations as kids' sugary drink intake increases 23%
Children’s sugary drink intake rose 23% between 1990 and 2018, according to a new study published in the BMJ - nearly twice the increase seen among adults. Sounding the alarm, researchers say that interventions such as school soda sales bans have become...
Is it possible to create effective age restrictions for alcohol marketing online?
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) has teamed up with Google, Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok and X to strengthen standards for advertising alcohol responsibly online.
Huge tax hikes: Vietnam proposes phased 100% alcohol tax rise, 10% for sugar-sweetened drinks
The Vietnamese government has drafted new regulations proposing a phased increase on excise taxes for alcoholic beverages to 100% by 2030 as well as 10% for sugar-sweetened beverages, in attempts to curb overconsumption as well as boosting national income.
ASA gives Hangcure a headache over implied disease claims
The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has warned UK supplement brand Hangcure Ltd that it must not claim that its product can prevent, treat or cure disease through product name or advertising.
Should sugar taxes be extended beyond beverages?
Most ‘sugar taxes’ are, in reality, ones that apply specifically to beverages. Is this fair – and would extending them to items such as chocolate, cakes and biscuits work?
UK could ban sales of energy drinks to under 16s
The Labour Party says it will ban the sale of energy drinks to under 16s if it wins the UK’s General Election next month.
Sustainability claims: How careful do brands need to be?
Budweiser has recently clarified its 'brewed with 100% renewable electricity' claim in the UK and Ireland after scrutiny from advertising watchdogs. How careful do brands need to be when making similar claims?
Sugarcane industry faces threat from South Africa's sugar tax
SA Canegrowers says South Africa's sugar tax is hurting the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.
Do soda taxes reduce childhood obesity?
The potential of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes to tackle childhood obesity has been a key rationale for their introduction. How effective are they?
Childhood obesity linked to high soda and milk consumption but not juice – Kuwait study
A Kuwait study found that children who consumed a lot of soda and milk had higher obesity risk than those who consumed high amounts of juice.
How much alcohol advertising do children see on TV?
Alcohol adverts should not be shown alongside programs that appeal particularly to children. But how many alcohol adverts do children end up seeing?
China excessive packaging rules: Tea in the spotlight as regulator implements stricter bans on entire category
China State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has announced new, stricter excessive packaging regulations governing the tea industry, one of the country’s largest and most traditional commodities.
Is the EU going far enough to tackle food waste?
Food waste reduction targets, from factory to fork, are under discussion in the EU. Are they ambitious enough?
How brands communicate gut health benefits, creatively
In Europe, food and drink makers tapping into the gut health trend find themselves hamstrung by health claims regulations. How can they communicate benefits, without breaking the law?
Indian regulator clamps down on e-commerce sites selling “health drinks”
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is clamping down on e-commerce websites selling “health drinks”, as there are currently no regulations set in place for such products.
China beverage boost: Baijiu and dairy industry leaders call for incentives to modernise and increase productivity
Industry leaders in China’s baijiu and dairy sectors have urged lawmakers to prioritise policies that encourage modernisation and productivity to help drive exports.
Will alcohol be required to carry calorie & ingredient labels in the US? What brands need to know about the road ahead
Consumer and health groups are pushing for nutrition, ingredient and allergen labeling on alcoholic beverages: and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has been gathering opinions from stakeholders on the subject. What happens next?
Sugar tax support in Australia: Messaging needs to go beyond ‘concerns over practices in the food industry’ – Study
Targeted messaging based on personal characteristics and demographics might have more success in garnering support for controversial sugar taxes than focusing on the impact to the food industry, claim researchers in Australia. Several countries in...
Nutri-Grade in China: Shanghai launches traffic light labelling pilot for sugar-sweetened beverages
The local government of Shanghai, China has launched a pilot traffic light labelling scheme for sugar-sweetened beverages, with grades to be implemented based on not only sugar but also saturated and trans-fat content.
Congressional hearing addresses current state of CBD, but legal limbo continues
FDA remains steadfast in its opinion that CBD is not a dietary supplement.
The global picture: How widespread are sugar taxes?
Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes are no longer a novel policy tool. A deep delve into the data throws up some surprises...
Can apps help people reduce their alcohol intake?
Many phone apps offer to help people cut down on drinking – but do they actually work?
Vitamins & minerals in sports drinks: What companies need to know while navigating the latest EU legislative developments
In the last five years, European policymakers have been focused on creating healthier food systems and addressing some of the issues related to the fragmentation of food policies across the EU Single Market. One important policy initiative was the...
Activists petition to remove methylene chloride from common decaf coffee production method amid carcinogen concerns
A food additive petition submitted by the Environmental Defense Fund, et al is calling on the FDA to remove methylene chloride, among three other solvents, from the most commonly used decaffeinated coffee known as European Method decaf, a move that the...
News
UK lifts tariff on California prune juice
The UK is to lift the current import tariff on California prune juice as it continues to navigate trade deals with its partners in the Indo-Pacific bloc.
Canada extends 2% cap on alcohol excise duty inflation adjustment
The federal government has announced a two-year extension of the 2% cap on the annual alcohol excise duty inflation adjustment, as well as announcing reduced excise duty rates on beer to benefit the smaller brewers.
Connecticut seeks to ban energy drink sales to children once again, amid caffeine content concerns
Connecticut lawmakers once again seek to ban the sale of energy drinks to consumers younger than 16 years, as regulators and researchers raise concerns about the negative health impact of caffeine.
Alcohol duty frozen in the UK until 2025
Alcohol duty in the UK will be frozen until February 2025, the UK government announced in the Budget released today (March 6).
Looking ahead: Europe’s soft drinks industry sets out 3 key ambitions for 2024-2029
UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, the Brussels-based trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage sector, has published its manifesto with key ambitions and policy priorities for the 2024-2029 EU political term.