New Australian push for cancer warning labels on alcohol as UK considers it after Ireland, South Korea

Australia is under increasing pressure to follow the global move towards mandatory warnings on alcoholic beverages of the risk of cancer. Vote in our poll.

Australia is under increasing pressure to follow the UK’s move towards mandatory warnings on alcoholic beverages of the risk of cancer.

Keir Starmer’s government is considering a proposal for explicit health warnings floated by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), representing dozens of medical organisations.

The radical changes would see manufacturers spell out the link between alcohol and cancer on cans and bottles of beer, wine and spirits.

It comes as Ireland prepares to introduce similar labelling early next year.

“The evidence is clear: health labelling on alcoholic drinks is urgently needed in the UK to help save lives,” the WCRF wrote in a letter to Keir Starmer.

“They should carry strong, clear messages about the health risks, which include the risk of cancer, far beyond vague advice like ‘consume in moderation’.”

Buoyed by the move, the Cancer Council of Australia is ramping up its efforts to convince the Albanese government of the merits of such labelling.

Chair of the Cancer Council’s Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee Clare Hughes said that less than half of Australians were aware that alcohol causes cancer.

“Research shows that cancer warning labels on alcoholic products has the potential to increase public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer risk,” she said.

Jay Vidanage who supports the labelling. Picture: Richard Walker

“Cancer Council is supportive of governments introducing cancer warning labels on alcoholic products, so Australians are aware of the health risks associated with these products.”

The council argues any warning labels must be “mandated, standardised and present health messages prioritising cancer risk messaging”.

Earlier this year, a report by the US surgeon General Vivek Murthy confirmed greater alcohol consumption was associated with higher risks of cancer.

Alcohol, which was classified as a group one carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in 1988, is estimated to be responsible for four per cent of all new cancer cases in Australia, and more than 2000 cancer-related deaths each year.

In 2020, 5800 of all new cancer cases in Australia were directly related to alcohol.

Toxic by-products produced when the body breaks down alcohol can bind to DNA, causing damage and leading to the development of cancerous tumours.

Alcohol can also increase oestrogen and other hormone levels, accelerating tissue growth which raises the risk of mutations.

Clare Hughes, Nutrition Program Manager at the Cancer Council in NSW.

Other potential risks include inflammation damage, which places the body under stress potentially creating an environment for cancer, and alcohol’s absorptive properties making it easier for other carcinogens to be absorbed into cells.

But despite the links between alcohol and cancer, only a handful of countries actively alert drinkers to the risks.

In 2016, South Korea encouraged graphic warnings on packaging – specifically the potential for liver cancer – but manufacturers could opt not to display them.

Ireland passed legislation in 2023, that forces manufacturers to display labels that read “There is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers” and “Drinking alcohol causes liver disease”.

The changes, which come into effect in 2026, have been met with condemnation from industry groups both in Ireland and worldwide, while the WCRF penned a letter to the country’s Taoiseach last month backing the changes.

“The alcohol labelling measure included in the PHAA is not only an evidenced-based policy included in the WHO’s ‘best buys’ but also has immense public backing,” the letter read.

“Recent representations made by the alcohol industry about alcohol labelling are misleading as the labels will only apply to products sold within Ireland and will have no impact on exports.”

“The Irish Government must stand firm on alcohol labelling and resist industry influence.”

Australia’s close South-East Asian neighbour Thailand, is also working on legislation that would require alcoholic products to have warning statements accompanied by graphic images.

Originally published as New Australian push for cancer warning labels on alcohol as UK considers it after Ireland, South Korea