In November 2017, the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) discussed sugar claims in relation to alcoholic beverages.
The meeting communiqué stated that Forum ministers are aware of an increasing number of alcoholic beverages for sale in Australia and New Zealand with the claim they are '% sugar-free'. It also stated that ministers are concerned that these claims on alcoholic beverages are misleading and that alcohol is being promoted as a healthier choice for consumers when public health advice is to limit alcohol intake. Ministers asked us to review the matter in relation to the standard and claims about carbohydrate and its components, such as sugar claims about food containing more than 1.15% alcohol.
In response, we completed a technical assessment to explore the matter with a view to determining whether changes to the Food Standards Code are required.
Download the Technical Assessment (pdf 595kb) | word (212 kb)