Beer, wine and spirits could be slapped with calorie labels in bid to tackle obesity

BEER, wine and spirits could be slapped with calorie labels in government moves to fight obesity.

Boris Johnson plans a consultation later this month over putting nutritional data on all alcoholic drinks.

It could mean calorie information on bottles, cans, beer pumps and menus.

Campaigners say booze is a major contributor to obesity in the UK, where two in three adults are too fat.

A pint of lager contains 180 calories and a large glass of red wine has 200.

The PM is looking at ways of slimming down the nation after obesity was linked to Covid-19 deaths.

Research suggests the average drinker gets around ten per cent of their calorie intake from alcohol.

A government source said: “This is about making it easier for people to make a healthy choice.

“One idea is to introduce calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks so consumers are aware of what is in their drink.”

Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of Alcohol Health Alliance UK, said: “It is a national scandal that there is more nutritional data on a pint of milk than a pint of beer.”

But Matt Kilcoyne of think tank the Adam Smith Institute said: “Dieters all know to avoid drinking if they want to lose weight.”

Official guidance is for women to have 2,000 calories daily and men 2,500.

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