Bulgaria is among the leaders in fulfilling the nutrition labeling requirements
During a special event in Brussels, the breweries' associations from EU countries signed a Memorandum to provide labels on beer bottles and cans with information on the ingredients and energy value of the beer due to 2022. The ambitious goals were agreed upon on a voluntary basis with the European Commission and were adopted by the European Brewers General Assembly this June. The purpose of the memorandum is so that companies can take on the responsibility for implementing this practice and that the industry organizations support these efforts, including through monitoring and broad accountability.
During the signing ceremony, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukiatis said: "I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate you on your commitments concerning labeling beers. I would also like to encourage you to continue to be a pioneer in the larger alcohol sector. Consumers have the right to know more about what their drinks contain and how it affects their health. They want the information to be clear and transparent - we are constantly receiving this message throughout our work in the field of public health and food safety. "
It has also been emphasized that, for four years now, members of the European Brewers have voluntarily listed the ingredients and energy value of their product labels in accordance with Regulation 1169/2011. To date, in the European Union, 2 out of every 3 beers already have calorie information and 4 out of every 5 beers have ingredients listing. At the same time, Bulgaria is among the leaders in fulfilling this voluntary commitment to the industry, with approximately 98% of the beer produced in the country already bearing this information on its labels.
The Memorandum of Understanding and Brewers 'Ambition 2022 were signed by 37 organizations, including 25 National Breweries' Associations. The event featured hundreds of different brands of beer from across Europe, including Bulgaria, demonstrating the voluntary application of labeling requirements. This demonstrates the scale of the commitment and the increasing diversity in the brewing sector of the old continent, which already includes over 9500 breweries.
In general, a single European Pilsen beer camp contains 90-92% water, 4.2% alcohol, 2.9% carbohydrates, 0.3% protein and 0% fat. Due to its natural ingredients, the beer also contains 0.2% fiber, 1000 micrograms / liter. phenolic antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Each bottle of 0.5 liter beer contains an average of about 10% of the adult recommended daily dose of B vitamins. There are 42 kcal in 100 ml of beer.
According to the Executive Director of the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, Ivana Radomirova: "It is a great honor and at the same time a greater responsibility that the European Commissioner for Health Andriukitis officially signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Brewers' Ambition 2022. The General Secretary of one of the the largest anti-alcohol organizations - the European Alcohol Policy Alliance EUROCARE, admitted that the efforts of the brewery industry have a positive effect on both improving consumer awareness and reducing not alcohol abuse. "
In the course of the events, the General Secretary of the Brewers of Europe, Pierre-Olivier Bergeron, commented that there was a decline in alcohol use in the EU as a whole. Specifically on beer consumption, he said that the beer usage in Europe has stabilized and even increased slightly over the last two years in comparison to the last five to six years. At the same time, non-alcoholic beer already has a significant share in the total volume of the beer market, which is emerging as a lasting trend.
For Europe Brewers:
For more than half a century, the Brewers of Europe, based in Brussels, have been the voice of the beer industry in front of European and international institutions. The organization brings together national breweries across the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. The Brewers' Union in Bulgaria has been a member of the organization since 2008.
Currently, in the EU countries, 60% of beer labels have energy values and 85% have a list of ingredients. The Memorandum of Understanding, Brewers' Ambition 2022 and the list of breweries who have signed it so far can be found at www.brewersofeurope.org and at beerwisdom.eu
