A new report from the World Health Organization’s Europe region highlights the urgent need for mandatory, standardized labels on alcoholic beverages to raise awareness of the link between drinking and cancer. The report found that only 15% of respondents knew that alcohol causes breast cancer, and just 39% were aware of its link to colon cancer.
WHO Regional Director Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge emphasized that clear and prominent health warning labels empower individuals with vital information to make informed choices about the harm alcoholic products can cause. The report recommends mandatory labelling on alcohol products, including clear and prominent health warnings, cancer warnings, and visible QR codes for further health information.
Currently, only 3 out of 27 EU countries and 13 out of 53 WHO European Region Member States have implemented health warning labels on their products. Ireland has taken a step forward by enacting a new law requiring cancer warning labels on alcohol-containing products starting in 2026.
The report cites evidence from a study involving nearly 20,000 participants, which found that cancer warnings on alcohol labels significantly boost awareness of alcohol’s cancer risks and encourage consumers to make informed choices. The European Union’s Beating Cancer Plan and Global Alcohol Action Plan also endorse proposals for providing nutritional and health information on alcoholic beverages.
With the EU aiming to reduce alcohol use by at least 10% by 2025, mandatory health warning labels can play a crucial role in shaping social norms around drinking and influencing healthier behaviours.
Source: https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/14-02-2025-alcohol-labels-should-warn-of-cancer-risk–says-new-who-europe-report