Beer nutrition labels will start accompanying brews from the largest U.S. beer makers in a voluntary move to calm complaints from consumer advocates who've called for the industry to be more transparent.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the labels will include the amount of calories, carbohydrates, and alcohol in each beer product.
Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, HeinekenUSA, Constellation Brands Beer Division, North American Breweries, and the Craft Brew Alliance have agreed to participate in what is called the Brewers' Voluntary Disclosure Initiative,
according to the Beer Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the beer industry.
"The Beer Institute, and its member companies, believes this is a step in the right direction to demonstrate a commitment to quality and transparency through these voluntary measures," Jim McGreevy, Beer Institute president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"Beer is the most popular alcohol beverage in the United States, and I look forward to brewers and importers including a serving facts statement along with disclosing all ingredients in their products. Providing meaningful information will ultimately empower the consumer when making decisions regarding the beer beverage of their choice," McGreevy's statement continued.
Michael F. Jacobsen, president of the Center for Science in the Public Trust,
said in a statement that while the move by the beer industry is positive, they should do more.
"Alcohol can be a major source of calories for many Americans, and the absence of calorie labeling on cans and bottles has helped obscure that," Jacobsen said. "It's good news for consumers that the biggest brewers will begin disclosing calories and some other nutrition information on new labels."
"All wine and liquor producers should do something similar. However, consumers have as much right to know what’s in their beer as in their root beer. Brewers are allowed to artificially color, flavor, sweeten, and preserve their products, as well as use foam enhancers," Jacobsen continued.
The Wall Street Journal pointed out that some popular beers already feature nutritional information, such as Bud Light, Budweiser, Miller Lite and Coors Light. The newspaper stated that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau provided brewers with a format to list beer's serving facts in 2013.
Craft brewers, it was reported, are developing their own disclosure plan,
according to CBS News, because the Beer Institute's initiative may not be as feasible for them since they produce dozens of seasonal products yearly. Craft brewers are not members of the Beer Institute.
"The Brewers Association has been working separately with the (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and the (U.S. Department of Agriculture) to develop a plan for beer styles (rather than specific individual brands) to be included in the USDA Nutrient Database," Paul Gatza, a spokesman for the association, a trade group for the craft brewers, told CBS News.
"We will continue to work with our members to encourage voluntary compliance with all existing government mandates regarding labeling," Gatza continued.
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