Dimova, E. D., & Mitchell, D. (2021). Rapid literature on the impact of health messaging and product information on alcohol labelling. Drugs: Education, prevention and Policy, DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2021.1932754
ABSTRACT
Background and aim: Alcohol labelling enables people to make informed decisions about the prod- ucts they purchase and consume. This rapid review explores the impact of health messaging and prod- uct information on consumer attention, comprehension, recall, judgment and behavioural compliance in relation to alcohol use.
Methods: The rapid review adopted a multi-faceted search strategy to identify primary studies on health messaging and/or product information on alcohol packaging, and the impact of these on con- sumer-related outcomes.
Results: The review provides support for large, colourful labels on the front of alcohol products and the use of plain packaging to increase the visibility of health messaging. It also supports the use of explicit, negatively-framed statements that link alcohol to specific diseases. Colour-coded schemes and pictorial warnings may further optimize the effectiveness of alcohol labels. We did not find sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of product information alone in influencing consumerattention, comprehension, recall, judgment and behavioural compliance.
Conclusion: Well-designed alcohol labels can positively influence consumers’ attention, comprehen- sion, recall, judgment and behavioural compliance. The findings have implications for alcohol labelling research and policy.