Despite this burden, awareness of alcohol-related harms remains low. Alcohol product labels are not required to list the information people need to make informed decisions. Alcohol is marketed and sold with limited, inconsistent or voluntary health information.
Alcohol warning labels provide evidence-based information directly on containers to increase awareness of alcohol-related health risks, support informed choices and promote safer drinking behaviours. When regulations require this information on products, people see it both when they buy alcohol and when they consume it. Alcohol warning labels don’t rely on individuals proactively seeking out information.
Like tobacco warning labels, alcohol warnings can communicate information such as:
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Health Warnings
Health warnings on alcohol containers provide information on the health consequences of consuming alcohol (e.g., alcohol use causes cancer). Research suggests that health warning labels are most effective when they are mandatory, appear prominently on plain alcohol containers and are brightly coloured, as they are more noticeable, attract greater visual attention and are better remembered by consumers. Cancer warning messages appear particularly effective among health warnings to change overall attitudes about alcohol and health. However, there is currently low awareness among people living in Canada that alcohol is directly linked to many cancers.
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Standard Drink Information
A standard drink is a measure of how much alcohol is in an alcoholic beverage. In Canada, one standard drink contains approximately 17 ml (13.45 grams) of alcohol. This equals 341 ml of a beer at 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), 142 ml of wine at 12% ABV and 42 ml of spirits at 40% ABV.
Since alcohol containers can hold more or less than one standard drink, labels that clearly indicate standard drink content help people understand how much alcohol they’re consuming. The number of standard drinks can vary significantly based on the percentage of alcohol and the size of the alcohol container.
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Up-to-date Drinking Guidance
Alcohol container labels with up-to-date drinking guidance such as Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health provide information about the risks associated with consuming alcohol. They are generally more effective when they are displayed prominently, brightly coloured and featured on plain packaging.
Evidence for Alcohol Warning Labels
Evidence shows alcohol warning labels can increase knowledge, shift attitudes and influence behaviour when they are mandatory, visible, well designed and use rotating messages.
Real-World Study in Yukon, Canada
A real-world Canadian study in Yukon examined alcohol labels with three rotating messages: a health warning, low-risk guidance and standard drink information.
The study found that people noticed labels, increased knowledge and supported informed decision making. People were more likely to be aware of and remember low-risk guidance, and to report cutting back on drinking, reflected in a 6.6% decrease in sales of labelled products.
Alcohol Container Labels, Systematic Review
In 2024, a systematic review was conducted on the effects of alcohol warning labels.
The labels were generally associated with reduced alcohol consumption, less alcohol use during pregnancy and reduced consumption before driving a vehicle. This review found that labels with multiple messages and comprehensive labels had a large effect on decreasing alcohol consumption and purchasing. Finally, the review also found that support for alcohol warning labels was generally high, especially in places where labels had been implemented. However, the review found mixed effects on increasing knowledge of health risks.
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Support for Alcohol Warning Labels in Canada
Results from Health Canada’s 2024 Public Awareness of Alcohol-Related Harms survey show strong support for enhanced health information on alcohol container labels and the belief that these labels should not be exempt from the labelling requirements for cannabis and tobacco.
Respondents also noted that labelling helps people track consumption while encouraging reflection on alcohol-related harms, considering reducing intake or discussing alcohol use with others.
62%
60%
59%
55%
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Public Health Advocacy
Health and public health authorities and leaders generally support the use of mandatory health information labels on alcohol containers.
Provincial and territorial medical officers of health have issued joint statements urging mandatory, prominent health labels on alcohol products.
The World Health Organization recommends clear, visible health warnings on alcohol packaging to reduce consumption and raise awareness of health risks.
The Canadian Cancer Society supports mandatory labelling to inform consumers about alcohol-related cancer risks. According to a Canadian Cancer Society-led survey in February 2022, 8 in 10 Canadians support the implementation of warning labels or health messaging on alcohol containers as a strategy to raise awareness of health risks and cancer.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health advocates for cancer warning labels on alcohol, citing strong scientific evidence linking alcohol to several types of cancer.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada supports warning labels to increase awareness of alcohol’s role in cardiovascular disease and stroke risk.
The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health recommends improved alcohol labelling as part of a broader public health strategy.
The Canadian Public Health Association has called for comprehensive alcohol policies, including mandatory health warning labels.
The Canadian Medical Association has supported stronger alcohol control policies, including labelling, to reduce harms.
The Canadian Paediatric Society has highlighted concerns about youth exposure to alcohol marketing, and has expressed support for stronger labelling and packaging regulations that reduce appeal and misinformation.
Coming Soon:
Alcohol Label Repository
CCSA and Public Health Ontario are partners on a multi-year project to share the best evidence and international examples of alcohol warning labels. This repository will bring together international and Canadian evidence on alcohol warning labels in one freely accessible, centralized online platform. Its purpose is to support evidence-informed policy development, implementation, evaluation and advocacy by facilitating knowledge sharing and coordination across research, policy, practice, community and advocacy sectors in Canada.
The repository places a particular focus on Canadian evidence, including real-world evaluations of alcohol labelling interventions, guidance from public health authorities and ongoing policy discussions. The repository will officially launch in October 2026. This page will provide foundational information and curated scientific evidence on:
- Alcohol and health
- Current Canadian and international alcohol warning labelling practices and guidance
- The effectiveness of alcohol warning labels in supporting more informed and safer decisions
