Whisky giants to release new labelling design based on global consumer research
By Steven Green // the drinks business
Diageo has announced that Johnnie Walker will be its first global brand to provide consumers with on-pack alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve.
Set to be introduced in the early autumn, the new labels for Johnnie Walker Red Label will go into production to be shipped globally – where by the end of the year there will be up to 30 million bottles in circulation with the information printed on the label.
The labels will conform to the new Diageo Consumer Information Standards (DCIS) which come into force this week and will be applied to all Diageo brands. Diageo sought to develop the DCIS based on research of more than 1,500 consumers around the world. The new label designs reflect the way consumers want to receive – and understand – information on alcohol content. Those surveyed said that when too much information (especially small text) is placed on the label it can be confusing and they may ignore it all. Less information, clearly presented was a consistent request across all markets.
The research also found that, of all the information that could be included, their preference was for alcohol information (standard drink size, ABV, how many units), calories per serve, sugar content, allergens and brand facts, such as how a product is made and quality assurances.
Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo said: “We believe people should have the best possible information to make informed choices about what they drink: this includes alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve. Johnnie Walker is one of our largest global brands, which means these new labels will arm millions of people around the world with clear information about what’s in their glass and in a way they can understand at a glance.”
Updates to Johnnie Walker Black Label, Double Black, Gold Label Reserve, Platinum and Green Label are also planned for the first half of 2017.
Carolyn Panzer, Director of Alcohol in Society, Diageo, said: “The new scheme is simple, clear and attractive – and most importantly, it’s based on what consumers want. There is no beverage of moderation, only a practice of moderation, and that is why we are committed to providing information on alcohol per serving, which enables people to compare the amount of alcohol in different kinds of drinks – from beer to bourbon – at a glance. Current labelling on most alcoholic beverages does not reflect how people consume alcohol and therefore does not allow consumers to understand how much alcohol is in their favourite drink or what is in their glass.”
This announcement forms part of Diageo’s strategy to deliver its commitment to providing alcohol content and nutritional information per typical serve through Diageo’s responsible drinking website DRINKiQ.com (www.DRINKiQ.com) and/or on-pack in a majority of Diageo’s markets subject to local regulatory approval, as soon as practicable. In the first move to fulfil this commitment, the first shipment of Crown Royal labelled with macronutrient and calorie information was released in the US in October 2015.
