Symbols or words will be added on the labels of alcohol-free beverage brands. Credit: Anomaly on Unsplash.

International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), a not-for-profit organisation, has announced that all the alcoholic drinks produced by its members will feature symbols or written age restrictions on their product labels.

Through this initiative, IARD aims to send a clear message that these products are not suitable for minors and will also support its efforts to address the issue of underage drinking.

IARD promotes a reduction in harmful drinking worldwide, supported by leading global beer, wine and spirits producers.

Its members comprise Anheuser-Busch InBev, Asahi Group Holdings, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman Corporation, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin Holdings Company, Molson Coors, Pernod Ricard and William Grant and Sons.

Beam Suntory president and CEO and IARD CEO chair Albert Baladi said: “These five actions mark another step towards our goal of eliminating underage drinking. Minors should not drink alcohol, and we proactively support strict enforcement of legal purchase and drinking age regulation.

“Although underage drinking has fallen in many parts of the world, this trend is not universal. We want to accelerate progress and work with others to eliminate underage drinking in every community through a whole-of-society approach.”

IARD notes that symbols or words will be added to labels on alcohol drinks wherever it is legally permissible.

Furthermore, through the initiative, IARD intends to fast-track its efforts to reduce underage drinking globally.

Baladi added: “We call on other producers to join us. We call on retailers to work with us to do more to prevent minors from buying alcohol in stores and online.

“And we call on parents and other adults to support us by not buying alcohol for or sharing alcohol with, children and minors, even if they do this with good intentions.”