Warning on labels of alcoholic beverages

By Marthe van der Wolf
4 September 2007

The Department of Health has published regulations requiring that labels for alcoholic beverages must contain health messages. The intention is that, with this messages, people must
be informed about the negative effects of alcohol consumption.


The health messages will be:

- Alcohol reduces driving ability, don’t drink and drive

- Don’t drink and walk on the road, you may me killed

- Alcohol increases your risk to personal injuries

- Alcohol is a major cause of violence and crime

- Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health

- Drinking during pregnancy can be harmful to your unborn baby


"The message that is currently available mainly comes from the manufactures and is promotions. So it tells people to consume alcohol," says spokesperson of the Department of Health Sibandi Mngadi. "But we know for sure that alcohol causes violence and unnatural deaths. That’s why we think at the Health Department that we need to raise awareness and get consumers to be much more informed about the negative effects of alcohol."

The regulations will come into effect within the next 18 months. The messages must be visible and take up at least one eight of the space on the label.


Bush Radio asked Capetonians how they feel about the health messages on alcohol beverages.

Shafik, 29: "It’s a good idea, but people have to read the labels as well. So more advertising would be good as well."

Khana, 27: "I think it’s good because people will still drive when they have been drinking."

Morten, 38. "It will probably help the people stop drinking so that’s good."

Thobine, 35. "It’s not going to help because people who drink and drive are silly. In the whole country they should stop serving alcohol."

Riyaaz, 40: "In some measure it might decrease the incidents with drunk people."