ABI adds nutritional information

Info to be added to packaging and presented online

And a full listing of ingredients, across Europe

Do you know how many calories there are in a 330ml serving of Stella Artois? Probably not – and this gap in consumer knowledge is beginning to be rectified. Starting this month, Anheuser-Busch InBev is to add full ingredient and nutritional information for its beer brands across its European markets. 

The multinational brewer has pledged that the information will be available on 80% of its European volumes by the end of 2017. The information will be presented per 100ml as well as per the most common portion sizes and will cover the ‘Big 7’, energy values, fat, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt.

Anna Tolley, director of legal and corporate affairs for ABI UK, explained, “Consumers are getting savvier about their daily calorie consumption and are actively looking at nutritional information. 

“While the EU continues to discuss the best way forward for nutritional labelling in our industry, we want to give consumers the information they need at their fingertips to make well informed choices and enjoy our products responsibly.”

While the roll-out on labelling and packaging will be defined to some extent by changeovers in materials and fulfilment in-market regulatory requirements, full information has already been posted  on a new website, www.tapintoyourbeer.com

ABI adds that the information provided meets commitments made to the Brewers of Europe which has pledged to make product information more readily available to consumers, including full information on ingredients, energy and nutritional values per 100ml on either the package labelling or online.

While satisfying its BoE pledge, in terms of information provided ABI is exceeding this commitment in two respects, by placing full ingredient and energy information on primary packs and placing full ingredient and Big 7 nutrition information on non-returnable secondary packs. 

There’s certainly a need for greater ingredient and nutritional information, at least in terms of consumer awareness. Just one of five UK consumers claimed to be aware of the calorie levels in beer, a finding of a recent survey of UK consumers undertaken for ABI by IPSOS Mori.