Government to enforce "cigarette-style" health warnings on all cans and bottles of booze

By Vincent Moss, sundaymirror.co.uk 20/07/2008

War on Booze (pic: SM)

Beer and wine bottles to get ciggy-style warnings

Drinks firms will be forced to put "cigarette-style" health warnings on all cans and bottles of booze.

The tough clampdown is in the wake of the industry's failure to tackle soaring levels of alcohol-related illness and booze-fuelled violence, highlighted in a report out this week.

Some firms have put warnings on their products, but supermarkets, pubs and bars are still selling alcohol at huge discounts, says independent audit firm KPMG.

Gordon Brown and Health Secretary Alan Johnson will reveal this week they are considering forcing firms to print warnings, details of calories and units of alcohol on every bottle and can.

Booze could also have special barcodes for each individual store so police can identify which sell alcohol to underage drinkers.

Bars pushing wine in extra large 250ml glasses may be forced to offer smaller glasses as well.

A senior No10 source said last night: "We are determined to create a more responsible attitude to drinking."