Brewer puts health warning on bottles and cans

Scottish & Newcastle is to put health warnings on its products as part of a drive to promote awareness of sensible drinking.

The messages will appear on bottles and cans of Newcastle Brown Ale from next month and will be rolled out across other Scottish Courage brands, which also include John Smith’s bitter, as well as Foster’s and Kronenbourg lagers.

The initiative will tell drinkers in the UK how many units the can or bottle contains - typically about two units for a can of lager. It will be accompanied by the message: “Responsible drinkers don’t exceed three to four units a day for men, two to three for women”.

Coors, which brews Carling and Grolsch lagers, has already said it will introduce a similar policy next year and other brewers are expected to follow suit as concerns about binge drinking continue to hit the headlines.

Scottish & Newcastle said production schedules meant Newcastle Brown Ale would be the first of its brands to carry the cigarette packet-style messages.

It said it was already involved in other measures to promote sensible drinking, including in the way it markets and promotes its brands.