Alcohol Should Carry Cancer Warning Labels, Say Experts

Cans and bottles of beer, wine and spirits should explicitly warn that alcohol causes cancer, an unprecedented alliance of doctors, charities and public experts says.

- Denis Campbell

Warning labels would tackle "shockingly low" public awareness in the UK that alcohol is proved to cause seven forms of cancer and 17,000 cases a year of the disease, they say.

Dozens of medical and health organisations have written to the prime minister, Keir Starmer, urging him to take the radical and controversial move of compelling alcohol producers to include such warnings, to improve public health. Labels must be "bold and unambiguous", said the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which coordinated the letter.

Kate Oldridge-Turner, the WCRF's head of policy and public affairs, said: "The evidence is clear: health labelling on alcoholic drinks is urgently needed in the UK to help save lives. They should carry strong, clear messages about the health risks, which include the risk of cancer, far beyond vague advice like 'consume in moderation'.

"Providing alcohol warning labels would empower millions to make informed choices by clearly understanding the risks."

Evidence cited by charities such as the WCRF and Cancer Research UK shows that alcohol increases the risk of breast, bowel, stomach, head, neck, liver and mouth cancer.