to improve social understanding, it is crucial to indicate the health-related issues on liquor packaging and bottling
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has mandated that liquor bottles in India must carry a statutory warning message from April 1st, 2022. This regulation aims to increase awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption and promote responsible drinking.
The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has approached the Government to allow home delivery of liquors during the lockdown period. HipBar, a Chennai-based start-up has already received permission for delivery from FSSAI to operate within Bengaluru.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has started a few stern measures so as to execute appropriate food safety guidelines and policies in the food business. The fundamental goal of FSSAI is to manage the sustenance business so as to deal with general wellbeing and security for all reasons.
FSSAI has been associated with routine investigations of nourishment organizations so as to check registration and permit concerning FSSAI. The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 has standard for just toddy as liquor beverages.
The Need for a Statutory Warning on Liquor Bottles
Alcohol consumption is a significant public health issue in India. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol consumption is responsible for nearly 3 million deaths annually in the country. Moreover, alcohol abuse has been linked to several chronic health conditions such as liver disease, cancer, and mental health problems.
In this context, the introduction of a statutory warning message on liquor bottles is a step towards addressing the issue of alcohol abuse in the country. The warning message will alert consumers to the potential health hazards of consuming alcohol and encourage them to drink responsibly.
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Statutory Warning Labels On Liquor Bottles In India
The Food Safety and Standards (Alcohol Beverages) Regulations, 2018 make it obligatory for the producers of liquor to convey a statutory cautioning ‘Consumption of alcohol is injurious to health. Moreover, the alcohol container should likewise convey ‘Don’t drink and drive ‘ on its label. The direction has been passed under Section 16(5) of the Food Safety and Standards Act to be implemented from 1st April 2019. This improvement pursues an order passed by Delhi High Court on the appeal filed by the NGOs against drink and drive.
- Drinking and driving are viewed as a deliberate crime and it must be treated as a premeditated crime as the individual who is driving the vehicle is very much aware that in such a case mishap can be caused which can prompt huge damage to him and others too.
- The same will be applicable to all distilled liquor which incorporates rum, vodka, brandy, whiskey, country spirit, and gin. A 6 months time frame has been given to the makers to the utilisation of both ‘printed cans and unused labels ‘.
- It has been likewise been granted that there must be an explicit necessity for labelling of liquors along with the labelling granted and referenced by Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
- If the liquor content is over 0.5% then in such case the explicit labelling should be included to make declaring the volume of the liquor content, labelling of standard drinking, and the equivalent must exclude any information on health benefits of nutritional claims and restrictions forced on the words, for example, ‘non-intoxicating’ or related phrases.
- Several wine-based products have compulsory guidelines which specify the country of origin, its sugar amount, the sort of grape or natural product which has been utilised alongside the name of deposits of additives or added substances included or present in it.
- Moreover, some other labelling prerequisites of liquor incorporate the description of the conventional name of the range of grape and crude material utilised in making the ultimate product. In case any sustenance item contains liquor in it, in such cases it must be denoted precisely that the item contains alcohol.
- All alcohol bottles need to meet the terms of the specific labelling requirements alongside the general naming specifications which had been determined by the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling).
Criteria Regarding Statutory Warning
The notice published by FSSAI has instructed the liquor industry to carry
- Cautions in a square-shaped box on the one line similar to the tobacco industry.
- The font size for the cautions ought not to be smaller than 3 mm,
- And that it ought to be in the English language.
Treatment of Existing Liquor Bottle Labels
The guideline for statutory caution has been authorised by the FSSAI on the alcohol bottles. A recommended time breaking point of a half year has been given to all the alcohol producers for utilising the names which still exist and printed jars of existing liquor drinks. FSSAI has expressed that the liquor that has been made before first April 2019 can be permitted to be sold in the market up to 31st March 2020. This resolution has been taken absolutely in light of a legitimate concern for general health and security. All the alcohol producers and sellers must hold registration or permit of FSSAI regarding their magnitude of the business.
There are statutory alerts on liquor, yet it just notices that ‘Alcohol consumption is injurious for health.’ People who are consuming it most presumably realise that consumption of such a thing is probably going to be harmful to their health yet it’s not an adequate stride so as to lessen its consumption.
The Content of the Statutory Warning Message
The FSSAI has prescribed the following warning message to be printed on all liquor bottles:
“Drinking is injurious to health. Be safe – don’t drink and drive.”
The warning message must be printed on the front label of the bottle in a font size that is clearly visible to the consumer. The label must also contain a pictorial representation of a crossed-out wine glass.
Implications for the Liquor Industry
The introduction of the statutory warning message is likely to have an impact on the liquor industry in India. Liquor manufacturers will have to modify their labels to include the warning message and comply with the FSSAI regulations. This may lead to additional costs for the industry, which could be passed on to consumers.
However, the regulation may also provide an opportunity for liquor manufacturers to promote responsible drinking and differentiate themselves from competitors. By including messages on responsible drinking and the harmful effects of alcohol, manufacturers can position themselves as socially responsible businesses and gain a competitive advantage.
Conclusion
As a result, the statutory warning must specify which parts of the body it impacts the most, which most important parts it can affect, how it can cause death, and a few other incidents involving the affected individuals or their body parts in order to decrease the consumption of liquor. As most of the time visuals can do what words proved unable.
The introduction of a statutory warning message on liquor bottles is a positive step towards addressing the issue of alcohol abuse in India. By alerting consumers to the potential health hazards of consuming alcohol, the regulation aims to promote responsible drinking and reduce the incidence of alcohol-related health problems.
While the regulation may have implications for the liquor industry, it also provides an opportunity for manufacturers to promote responsible drinking and differentiate themselves from competitors. Ultimately, the success of the regulation will depend on its implementation and the extent to which it raises awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol.
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