FOR YOUR INFORMATION
We share below a number of recent developments. As always, we rely on FIVS Members to apprise us of noteworthy matters. Please contact the FIVS Secretariat with items that may be of interest.
Alcohol Regulations
Japan: Showing alcohol content in grams – Major Japanese alcohol beverage manufacturers will reportedly begin showing the alcohol content of beer and chuhai spirits products in grams, as well as percentages, on their websites. The companies plan to include this information on product containers as well in the future. Japan’s Health Ministry has stated that the risk of lifestyle-related disease increases when men consume 40 grams of alcohol per day and women consume 20 grams per day, translating to three cans of beer with 5% alcohol for men and two cans for women. Chuhai products reportedly contain nearly 10% alcohol.
United States: North Carolina may regulate “alcoholic consumables” – The Alcoholic Beverages Committee of the North Carolina House of Representatives reportedly approved legislation to regulate ice cream, popsicles, gelatin, and other foods that contain alcohol beverages, such as bourbon and Irish cream. Legislators expressed concern that these products can currently be purchased by minors in grocery stores.
Cancer Warnings
Campaigns linking alcohol and cancer – A growing number of medical and public health groups are introducing public awareness campaigns warning against even moderate drinking levels. As reported, the European Union has announced its intentions to introduce new health warnings, as well as new taxes and restrictions, as part of its $4.8 billion plan to reduce cancer rates. France’s government may issue new warnings and policies to discourage heavy drinking as part of a 10-year plan to tackle cancer. And in October 2020, seven American public health groups called on the U.S. government to add a cancer warning to alcohol beverage labels.
Illicit Alcohol
Russia: Tracking illicit alcohol from space? – The Russian State Duma Committee on Economic Policy reportedly supports legislation allowing satellites to monitor compliance with Russian alcohol beverage regulations, tracking illegal activities in the production, procurement, import, supply, storage, and transportation of alcohol beverages from space. Russia’s Lower House will consider the legislation on 16 March 2021, and if adopted, it will become effective ten days after publication.
Non-alcohol Beverages
Growth of non-alcohol wine retail sales – Retail sales levels of non-alcohol wines in the United States changed little from 2016 through 2019, but they rose 40% during the last quarter of 2020 and 34% during the year ended on 20 February 2021. Their annual sales were only approximately $36 million of the entire wine category, which totaled over $21 billion during that time, but some producers are expanding the category in their portfolios for a variety of reasons. One German producer began developing a non-alcohol wine at the request of a chef in Norway, where the penalty for drink driving was 10% of one’s income. Eliminating the alcohol from a wine is, however, not simple.
Japan: Rising non-alcohol beer sales – Following flat sales in 2020, Japanese brewers are reportedly forecasting a 20-23% jump in revenue for non and low alcohol beer in 2021. Japan’s beer consumption has fallen by half during the past 20 years and worsened further during the pandemic when restaurants and bars closed early. Although non-alcohol beer accounts for only 1% of overall global beer sales, Global Market Insights predicts its global market could grow to $29 billion in 2026, an increase of 65% from 2019.
Drink Driving
Ukraine: Increased fines for drink driving – Ukraine’s President signed legislation to strengthen the liability for violation of road safety rules. Fines for drink driving will reportedly be UAH 17,000 (US$616) for the first offense, and the driver’s car may be confiscated for the third offense. The legislation allows police officers to use video recordings when stopping vehicles.
United States: Hawaii may lower blood alcohol threshold to 0.05 – Hawaii’s Senate reportedly approved legislation by a vote of 24 to 4 that would lower the blood-alcohol content level for arresting individuals for drink driving from Hawaii’s current level of 0.08 grams per 100 milliliters of blood to 0.05 grams of alcohol. If signed into law, Hawaii would become the second U.S. state to lower the threshold to 0.05, following Utah in 2018. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the legislation, arguing that the measure would increase court congestion by criminalising the behavior of normally responsible drinkers without reducing alcohol-related fatalities.
NOTE: We make no warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information in these FIVS Alerts; nor do we necessarily support or agree with views expressed or contained therein.