Tobacco-style health warnings 'too ugly' for winemakers

The wine industry believes most drinkers are aware of the dangers of excessive drinking. Picture: Renee Nowytarger Source: The Australian

Push for graphic warnings on bottles
Winemakers want softer alternative
Evidence on health risks challenged

WINEMAKERS have offered to label bottles with a don't-drink-in-pregnancy logo, as an alternative to "ugly" health warnings like those on cigarette packets.

The Winemakers Federation of Australia has told the Federal Government it is willing to adopt the French image of a pregnant woman drinking, to counter the push for wine labels to include graphic warnings about the hazards of alcohol.

Australia's wine industry is rebelling against the Council of Australian Governments' suggestion of tobacco-style health alerts, on the grounds they are ineffective and ugly.

"It is quite unclear how the addition of a warning label will somehow stop an idiot getting in their car and driving whilst intoxicated," the federation says in a submission to the COAG review of food labelling laws.

Likening binge drinking to unsafe sex, the winemakers insist the Government, and not industry, should be funding community awareness campaigns.

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"Behavioural change towards safer sex practices were a combination of 'grim-reaper' government advertisements and sex education in schools," the submission says.

"The Government didn't force people to have their genitalia tattooed with a warning label."

If winemakers are forced to put health warnings on labels, the federation suggests, they ought to be allowed to promote the benefits of moderate consumption.

"Live a longer and more fulfilled life - drink at least two glasses of wine a day," is its tongue-in-cheek suggestion.

The winemakers even challenge the scientific evidence that alcohol can cause obesity by citing studies suggesting that moderate drinking can keep drinkers slim.

Winemakers Federation chief executive Stephen Strachan yesterday said the industry had volunteered to start using the pregnancy logo. "At best, it can raise awareness but it doesn't do anything in relation to behaviour."