Wine in moderation – a balanced approach to reduce harmful drinking

Three years after the launch of the WINE IN MODERATION program and the commitment to deliver the WIM message across Europe, the EU wine sector has made recognized progress in implementing this ambitious contribution to the EU Strategy to support Member States in reducing alcohol related harm.  The objective set in 2005 was to unite the wine filière in a project that would make a significant and measurable contribution to the reduction of alcohol related harm, and yet secure the future of the wine sector through the development of responsible business. 

The recognition that the EU Wine sector had an important role to play in reducing alcohol related harm led to a cooperation between the three major wine growing and making areas; -producers (Copa-Cogeca), independent growers (CEVI) and winemaking companies (Comite Vins) - formulated in the WINE IN MODERATION program launched in 2008 as the EU Wine sector’s commitment to the European Alcohol & Health Forum, which has recognized it as a significant contribution. Taking the more than 3 million people involved in the growing and making of European wine, the WINE IN MODERATION–ART DE VIVRE program builds on three main pillars; education about moderate and responsible wine drinking, self-regulation of commercial communication and development and sharing of science based information.

There are two key underlying aspects to the WIM program; it is based on the principles of the European wine culture which is inherently moderate and linked to local gastronomy, and it respects local and regional culture and is implemented in line with this. This adaption to national culture has the effect of giving WIM much greater relevance and impact in each area.

However the need for consistency across the Europe has also been respected. The creation of a single “WIM Common Message” ensured that the principles of WIM were correctly interpreted as the basis of each local program. The three support pillars were developed as independent, but interlinked, tools which could work at different speeds according to the national needs.

Thus, “WIM ART de VIVRE” provided an educational tool based on the key message of:

1. Savour the wine you drink : understanding the distinctive flavours of your wine, but never exceeding the guidelines for low-risk moderate consumption of wine (or other alcoholic beverages)

2. Wine drinking requires maturity : consumers under legal age should not drink

3. Women should avoid drinking wine and other alcoholic  beverages during pregnancy

4. If you drive avoid drinking.  If you do drink never exceed the legal BAC (blood alcohol concentration) set for drivers

And, of course, consult your family doctor in case of any doubts or questions

This key message is included in all WIM brochures, presentations, education and information. In Portugal, where there are 125 wine sector signatories of WIM, it is projected to tourists within the audiovisual presentations when visiting the winery. In Italy it included in a pilot project in cooperation with educational authorities in Verona.

Commercial communication and promotion must be responsible and honest and should not induce consumers to abuse wine. The WIM WINE COMMUNICATION STANDARDS are self-regulatory guidelines which members of WIM are committed to abiding by. In Spain they have become the official standards monitored by Autocontol, responsible for all types of consumer advertising.

The importance of understanding the science of moderation and abuse cannot be underestimated as a tool. The commitment of WIM is to provide balanced, science based information which will allow consumers to make informed decisions. The WIM WINE INFORMATION COUNCIL (WIC) unites a pool of scientific experts under the chairmanship of Prof. Nicolai Worm (Nutritionist) and the coordination of Germany’s Deutsche Weinakademie. The specific role of WIC is to gather evidence-based scientific information on wine and share all ‘best-practice’ initiatives which have been shown to successfully promote responsible drinking patterns.

An example of the cultural adaptation in implementation can be seen in France, where the WIM program appears within the VIN ET SOCIETÉ program launched by the sector to educate and familiarize consumers, restaurants and retailers about moderation and responsibility

The WIM Implementation Report 2008-2010 details the results of the first 3 years of the program, reporting on the work carried out in the 9 countries where WIM has been introduced. The statistics cite that 100% of the relevant European organizations  are committed to working together on this first pan-European program  to promote moderation and responsibility, over 250,000 visits have been made to the WIM Website (over half a million page views) and there have been over 30 Million consumer impacts.

While the achievements to date are important they are just the first steps. On November 24th, the creation of a non-profit association Wine in Moderation–Art de Vivre (WIM) Aisbl, with the support of the national constituencies, took WIM into a second phase. Despite the particularly difficult economic conditions, the wine filière is committed to build on the recognized success of WIM and meet the challenge of securing the central place of wine in European culinary and cultural heritage, reinforcing its legitimate contribution across Europe

WIM’s future actions will focus on consumer communication, through traditional methods, through wine tourism, on labelling and in the new social media to establish moderation as a culture and responsibility as a trend in support of the EU Strategy to reduce alcohol related harm.