Rapid literature review on the impact of health messaging and product information on alcohol labelling

Background and aim
Alcohol labelling enables people to make informed decisions about the products they purchase and consume. This rapid review explores the impact of health messaging and product 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 consumer-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 consumer attention, comprehension, recall, judgment and behavioural compliance.

Conclusion
Well-designed alcohol labels can positively influence consumers’ attention, comprehension, recall, judgment and behavioural compliance. The findings have implications for alcohol labelling research and policy.