28/4/2014

A range of packaging legislation applies to beer, which brewers must adhere to in order to supply products to consumers. We can help you to understand what is required when labelling alcoholic products, so that you have some handy tips to avoid potentially difficult legal situations. 

What Needs To Be Shown On Beer Packaging 

It is essential that the following information is present on beer packaging to ensure that legislation is met. Follow the checklist and see if there’s anything you’ve missed!
• The name under which the product is sold
• The NET quantity of the pre-packaged beverage in metric units, for example in litres, centilitres or millilitres
• A list of ingredients in descending weight order is currently only required for beverages with an alcohol content of 1.2% or less
•  An indication of the alcoholic strength of the beverage – if they contain more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, then the actual alcoholic strength must be displayed showing the word “alcohol” or the abbreviation “alc.” followed by the symbol “% vol.”
• Date of minimum durability – consists of the day, month and year, except in the case of food that will not keep for more than three months (day and month are sufficient), for more than 18 months (month and year are sufficient), and those that will keep for more than 18 months (a year is enough)
• Any special conditions for storage or use of the product
• The name, or business name, of the manufacturer, packager, or importer established in the European Union
• The place of origin or provenance
• On pre-packaged beverages, lot marking is required with the mark preceded by the letter “L”
• The Commission Directive 87/250/EEC indicates the alcoholic strength by volume, and the tolerances allowed in respect of this strength are as follows:
          • 0.5% vol. for beers that have an alcoholic strength that does not exceed 5.5% volume, and also those beverages made from grapes that are classified under subheading 22.07B II of the Common Customs Tariff
           • For beers that have an alcoholic strength that does exceed 5.5% vol., the tolerance is 1%. This again applies to the drinks classified again under subheading 22.07 B I of the Common Customs Tariff made from grapes, but also ciders, berries, fruit wines, and those made from fermented honey