Wineries boycott warnings

South West wine producers are unlikely to voluntarily print health warnings on their labels, according to Geographe Vignerons Association president Wayne Hammond.

Health warnings will begin to appear on the labels of most beer, spirit and wine labels immediately, following a decision by the liquor industry to take voluntary action in cooperation with DrinkWise Australia.

The warnings are aimed at juveniles, problem drinkers and pregnant women and have been adopted by most of the country’s major producers, representing 80 per cent of the market.

Mr Hammond said printing warnings on the labels of Geographe wines was unnecessary and would have little impact on their consumption.

‘‘Geographe produces a premium wine—premium wines aren’t cheap, they’re not your large-volume drinking wines,’’ he said.

‘‘As a result of that the consumption by the consumer is minimal and therefore not harmful to their health.

‘‘Most of our consumers are educated people—particularly the health warnings in regards to pregnancy, most women are aware of that.’’

Mr Hammond said it was cheaper cleanskin wines which were open to abuse by binge drinkers.

Major wine brands, suich as Jacob’s Creek, Wyndham Estate and Hardys, have committed to the labelling initiative.

Last year, New Norcia Abbey Wines became the firstWAwinery to include on its wine labels warnings of the risk of alcohol to an unborn child.

The National Health and Medical Research Council lists maternal alcohol consumption as potentially harmful to the developing fetus or breast-feeding baby.

Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University ofNewSouthWales Professor Michael Farrell welcomed the move, but said, that alone, it was unlikely to make a significant impact on the consequences of alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

‘‘It is important that the health risks of alcohol consumption are better communicated and that the general population understand that alcohol is no ordinary commodity,’’ Professor Farrell said.