Ireland’s plan to bring in health warnings on alcohol products will ‘reduce harm globally’

Ireland’s plan to introduce mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products is a “turning point for public health” that will bring about “a significant reduction in alcohol-induced harm, not just in Ireland but globally”, the Government has been told.

Eurocare, an alliance of 51 organisations that aim to reduce and prevent alcohol-related harm in Europe, praised the Government’s plans in a letter to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. It likened the initiative to the workplace smoking ban brought in by Ireland almost 20 years ago.

The alliance predicted it would lead to other countries bringing in similar policies, saying “we know from the experience of our colleagues in tobacco control that where Ireland leads, the rest of Europe and the world will soon follow”.

Ireland is set to become the first country in the world to introduce mandatory health labelling of alcohol products – including warnings about a link to cancer – after Mr Donnelly last month signed new public health regulations into law. The law will apply from May 22nd, 2026, in order to give businesses three years to adapt to the new regulations.

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Concerns have been expressed at the plans by countries including Italy, whose foreign minister and deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani said in January that the plans were an “attack” on his country’s identity.

Ireland’s plans for health labelling were discussed at a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting last week. It was on the agenda of the Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, a forum for the organisation’s 164 members to discuss and mediate potential disputes over regulations.

The United States, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic raised concerns that Ireland’s new alcohol labelling requirements signed into law in May could present a barrier to trade. Objections at the meeting centred on requirements for exporters to produce labels specific to Ireland from 2026, which the critics argued would create new costs and affect the ability of businesses to move product within the European market.

Speaking on behalf of Ireland, a representative for the European Union denied that businesses would be required to produce custom labels, saying stickers could be placed on the products after they were imported into Ireland.

The letter to the Government from Eurocare – the European Alcohol Policy Alliance – came in February to thank Ireland for proceeding with WTO notification for the labelling legislation. It is signed by Eurocare president Dr Peter Rice, secretary general Florence Berteletti, and board member Dr Sheila Gilheany, chief executive of Alcohol Action Ireland.

They praised Mr Varadkar, Mr Martin and Mr Donnelly for their “considerable leadership and courage on public health matters”. They wrote: “Getting legislation on to the statute books is difficult. Implementing world leading provisions in the face of fierce opposition from the alcohol industry is a different challenge again.”

The letter describes the Irish initiative as a game-changer in public health policy, adding “you have the support of the entire public health community in Europe and in the world”.