I support calls for stronger alcohol strategy proposals from the Government, including consistent, high-quality labelling. Consumers have a right to know what is in their drinks, so that they can make informed choices about their health.

I am aware of the Alcohol Health Alliance’s report, ‘Contents unknown: How alcohol labelling is still failing consumers’, which calls for improved labelling to provide consumers with the right information to make informed choices about their health, as well as to increase awareness of the harm alcohol causes.

As part of its report, AHA examined 269 alcohol products across the UK and found that just 20% included a full list of ingredients and a third did not include the latest drinking guidelines from the Chief Medical Officer.

Currently, there are no legal requirements for alcohol products to include health warnings, drinking guidelines, calorie information or even ingredients. In July 2020, the Government committed to consult on its intention to make companies provide calorie labelling on alcohol. Yet more than two years later, no progress has been made.

I am disappointed that the Government did not include public health measures relating to alcohol in the Health and Care Bill (now Act). During the Bill’s passage, my Opposition Colleagues and I supported amendments that would have required the Health Secretary to report on the alcohol labelling consultation, but sadly these were unsuccessful.

I have now written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, and asked him to finally launch a consultation on alcohol labelling. I have posted a copy of this letter below for you to see.