Altia spirits bottles already contain warning labels

Labels were printed before Finland adopted new line on the warning issue

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Wine and spirits bottles with labels containing a health warning against the dangers of alcohol to the health of the drinker and the unborn foetus are already to be found in Alko liquor stores up and down the country, even though only just over a month ago the Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko (National Coalition Party) proposed that the warning labels be abandoned.
     
The decision on fixing the labels onto bottles was made by the previous Parliament, and the ruling was to come into force from 2009.
      Lotta Koskinen from the alcoholic beverages manufacturer Altia says that the explanation is perfectly natural, and that plans for the changeover were made well in advance of the 2009 deadline, as it would not be possible to get all bottles changed at a stroke in a single day.
     
The bottles now to be found on Alko shelves with the warning labels date from the time before the government had a change of heart on the subject, and for now no more will be printed.
      The sign, which reads "WARNING: Alcohol is hazardous to the development of the foetus and to your health", was given a thumbs-down by the EU Commission just before Christmas last year.
      The Commission stated further that Finland should accept the national warning labels used by other EU countries, and whilst this was alright - except in the specific Finnish wording - in respect of dangers to the foetus, there was in the Commission's view no cause for a "general" warning on the danger of alcohol.
     
After Risikko's remarks in January, the law has not been revoked, and currently nobody seems to know quite what will happen from 2009 - will there be a label at all, and if there is, what text will it carry?
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Minister Risikko wants to abandon alcohol warning labels (17.1.2008)
  New Year brings an end to bulk beer discounts; alcohol taxes raised across the board (2.1.2008)

Links:
  Altia

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