Ireland to introduce world-first alcohol health labelling policy
Ireland is set to become the first country in the world to mandate health labels on alcoholic drinks, alerting drinkers to their calorie content, grams of alcohol, risk of cancer and liver disease, and the dangers of consuming alcohol whilst pregnant. The new legislation is set to come into effect from May 2026, and indicates a significant move from the Irish government in terms of highlighting the dangers and risks associated with alcohol consumption.
A recent report compiled on behalf of rehab clinic Delamere studied how the laws and guidance surrounding recommended alcohol units currently differ around the world, in order to understand different attitudes in drinking cultures.
It found that in Ireland, men are advised to drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week, the equivalent to 7 large 250ml glasses of wine, or 7 pints of 5% strength lager, beer or cider. In comparison, Irish women are not recommended to regularly consume more than 14 units of alcohol per week, which equates to approximately four large glasses of wine or pints of 5% strength lager.
In the UK, the NHS website currently states that safe consumption of alcohol is no more than 14 units of alcohol a week spread across 3 days or more for all genders, as it has the potential to cause harm to the liver.
According to the data, Belgium has one of, if not the highest recommendations for alcohol consumption in Europe, with officials recommending that women can consume up to 17 units of alcohol a week, while men can consume 26 – nearly double the UK’s alcohol consumption guidance.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Dutch health council advised back in 2015 that residents in the Netherlands refrain from drinking altogether, and that they drink no more than one glass daily.
Similarly, other countries have recently taken a more strict approach. In January this year, Canada announced that it would be changing its alcohol consumption guidance, to a zero alcohol approach, as it was the only way to ensure no risks from drinking.
Alcohol guidance around Europe:
| Country | Recommendation (Units of Alcohol) |
| England, Scotland & Wales | 14 units a week |
| Ireland | 21 units for men/ 14 units for women per week |
| Poland | 5 units per for men / 2.5 units per day for women |
| Hungary | 4 units per day for men / 2 units for women |
| Portugal | 3 units per day for men / 2 units for women |
| France | 12 units per week / no more than 2 drinks per day |
| Greece | Up to 3-4 units per day for men / 2-3 units for women |
| Germany | 3 units per day for men / 1.5 units for women |
| Austria | 3 units per day for men – 2 units for women |
| Belgium | 26 units per week for men / 17 units for women |
| Spain | 2.5 units per day for men / 1 unit for women |
| Italy | 2 units per day for men / 1 unit for women |
| Bulgaria | 2 units per day for men / 1 unit for women |
| Denmark | Up to 14 units per week for men / 7 units for women |
| Netherlands | No more than one standard drink (10 g) per day |
Sources: World Population Review, Knowledge 4 Policy, NHS
Further insight and findings from the experts visit https://delamere.com/blog/visualising-drug-and-alcohol-guidance-around-the-world
