New logos will help us drink more responsibly

New alcohol labeling will alert drinkers to the number of standard drinks they are consuming.

NSW Minister for Health John Hatzistergos and Australian Government Parliamentary Secretary for Health Christopher Pyne said they hoped the new label would assist people to consume alcohol more responsibly.

They said information about the number of drinks was currently on alcohol labels, but often proved difficult to read. The new logos, voluntarily introduced by the alcohol industry, will make drink numbers much easier to track.

The new logos will appear as:

• A schooner glass on beer labels.
• A wine glass on wine bottle labels.
• A spirit tumbler on spirit containers.

"The introduction of these logos is an important step in educating the community to drink responsibly," Mr Hatzistergos and Mr Pyne said in a joint statement, after the logos were endorsed nationally by the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, in Perth.

Remember: Men should not drink more than four standard drinks, and women not more than two standard drinks per day. Everyone should have one or two alcohol-free days every week.

Source: © Copyright, The Department of Health and Ageing, 15 May, 2006 http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/health-mediarel-yr2006-cp-pyn032.htm