Food standards

What businesses need to know about the labelling requirements for alcohol.

In the UK, it is an offence for retailers to supply food and drink without English labelling

All alcohol products must be labelled in English (you can display additional languages when some of the customers are likely to be non-English speakers). If you have beer, wine or spirits that do not display the food information in English you must take steps to add this information prior to you displaying for sale. Your supplier should have provided this information to you by means of a commercial document or has already added the correct labelling in English to the food.

The following mandatory information is required on the product packaging or on a label attached to the packaging, in English:

• The name of the food
• The quantitative ingredients declaration (QUID), where needed
• It is not mandatory for alcoholic beverages to have an ingredients list although you are strongly encouraged to include one.
• Allergens must be listed using BOLD or EMPHASISED writing. If the product does not have an ingredients list, the allergens still need to be declared
• The net weight or volume of the food
• ‘Best before’ or ‘use by’ date. Alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic strength greater than 10% volume do not need to include a durability indication
• The name and address of the food business operator (FBO) in the EU responsible for the food information. This must be a UK address from 24 January 2024.
• The alcoholic strength by volume (as a percentage) on drinks containing over 1.2% alcohol by volume
• A nutrition declaration is not mandatory for alcoholic beverages. Manufacturers are encouraged to include a nutrition declaration, which must follow all the rules for a mandatory nutrition declaration if provided

Further information.

Displaying the name and address of the Food Business Operator

From 1 January 2024, you must include a business name and address on the packaging or food label of pre-packed food products.

This must be either:

• the name of the business whose name the food is marketed under
• the address of the business that has imported the food

The address needs to be a physical address where your business can be contacted by mail. You cannot use an email address, phone number or just a postcode.

AWRS - Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme

From 1 April 2017, it is an offence to buy controlled alcoholic drinks that are intended for sale in the UK unless it is from an Approved Registered Wholesaler (AWRS) - there are few exceptions. You can check the status of a seller by requesting the AWRS URN of the wholesaler and checking it is valid via the online look-up system (accessed via the Government Gateway). For further information please download the guide.

Remember you cannot sell alcohol to any person under the age of 18. Test purchases are carried out to ensure retailers are complying with the law and not selling many age-restricted products to underage persons.