The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday, the 14th of February, presented new findings on the “alarming” lack of awareness across Europe about alcohol’s link to cancer and called for clear and visible warnings, like on tobacco products, in the region with the highest number of alcohol users in the world, reports Reuters.
Alcohol consumption causes 800 000 deaths in Europe every year, but only a small proportion of the population is aware of the risks, according to a WHO Europe Office statement based on new research.
The study found that only 15% of respondents knew that alcohol causes breast cancer and 39% knew that it is linked to colon cancer, the statement said.
“Although cancer is the leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in the European Union (EU), public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer remains worryingly low,” the WHO said.
The WHO has repeatedly warned that alcohol causes cancer and has advocated for clear labelling on alcohol labels but has never called so strongly for new regulation.
Relying on self-regulation, as the industry would like, means that alcohol producers could use “inconspicuous displays and unclear messages” or use QR codes that are usually ignored by consumers, the WHO said.
Instead, alcoholic beverages should carry “clear and prominent health warnings” in written format, which could be combined with images “to raise consumer reach and provide them with clear and accurate information to enable them to make informed choices about their health”, the report said.
Currently, only three of the 27 EU countries have such labels, the WHO said. Earlier this year, the US Surgeon General also called for cancer risk warnings on beverage labels.