Plan for health labels on alcohol may be delayed - Harris | Breaking News & Latest Ireland Updates

Plan for health labels on alcohol may be delayed - Harris — Political Correspondent Tánaiste Simon Harris has strongly indicated that a plan to introduce health labels on alcohol drinks is set to be delayed. La...

Political Correspondent

Tánaiste Simon Harris has strongly indicated that a plan to introduce health labels on alcohol drinks is set to be delayed.

Labels that showed the calorie content in drinks along with the grams of alcohol, were set to become a legal requirement for producers in May 2026.

However, Mr Harris told the Dáil that there is now a very new trade environment and the matter will be looked at again given the concerns within the industry.

He said that it was important that Government controlled the things it could control in this environment.

Then minister for health Stephen Donnellysigned the new regulations into law in May 2023, adding that businesses had three years to prepare for the change.

He said the new law is designed to give consumers a better understanding of the alcohol content and the health risks associated with consuming alcohol.

He said that food products already have health information on labels and alcohol is simply being brought into line.

Last month, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said that the introduction of the health warning labels would have to be "carefully examined again" by the Government considering the increased pressure on the drinks industry due to US tariffs and the need to maintain competitiveness.

However, the Chairperson of Alcohol Action Irelandsaid the labelling has nothing to do with tariffsand will have no impact on the export of alcohol as it only applies to products sold in Ireland.

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