WHO Should Not Support Alcohol Industry Co‐Regulation of Public Health Labelling

In this research editorial the authors discuss, why it is unwise, for WHO to include the alcohol industry in co-regulation of alcohol labeling which is a public health measure.

The authors provide three reasons with evidence as to why the industry should not be invited to co-regulate. First, the effectiveness of labels as a public health intervention depends upon their content and design, and it is highly unlikely that the industry would follow the emerging evidence base in creating a co‐regulatory alcohol labelling regime. Secondly, the industry has a poor track record of operating self‐regulatory arrangements for alcohol health warning labels. Thirdly, there is illogicality in entrusting labelling regulation to an industry which publicly opposes effective health labelling.