Alcohol firms to face tougher regulations

Major drink producers are being urged to take the lead on tackling binge drinking as the Department of Health prepares to publish a report on the issue next week – with a call on major producers for "leadership".

A voluntary code agreed between the Government and industry said that, by the end of 2008, the majority of alcoholic drink labels would include the number of units the drink contained, the recommended sensible drinking guidelines of no more than three or four units a day for men and two or three for women, and the website address of the Drinkaware Trust.

Products should also carry a warning to pregnant women and those trying to conceive alongside the words "know your limits", "enjoy responsibly" or "drink responsibly".

However, next week's report will show that very few companies are complying with all five elements of the code and just 15 per cent of drinks carry all the warnings.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "We know that too many are drinking at harmful levels and producers should play their part in helping to stem this tide by ensuring we all have access to clear and consistent health information on labels."