Light ales face chop as a result of EU directive

by Ewan Turney

Light ales may face the chop as an "unintended consequence" of a European Union health directive on food labelling.

The EU directive is designed to provide consistency across foods that make claims such as being low in fat, low in salt or low in carbohydrates, by laying down a fairly strict definition.

The directive states that the word "light" cannot be used to describe a product unless it is specific to one nutrient, for example fat, and that nutrient must be 30% less than the standard version of the product. Where the company does not produce a "full" version of a "light" product, it must be 30% less than the general industry standard. It is this rule that light ales have fallen foul of.

Euro MP John Bowis isfighting the brewers' cause in Brussels. His assistant Stuart Pritchard said: "We are trying to clarify the situation because light ales are a particular style of beer that have been around for a long time. The light refers to its taste and colour and not its nutritional value."

Pritchard said that the "waters had been muddied" by the arrival of American "lite beers" that generally contain less calories. The EU health commission has stated that it would allow light ales to retain the name if they contained 30% less alcohol than the average beer, which they have suggested as 4.5% abv. "That would be problematic as most light ales are brewed at around 3.5% abv," said Pritchard. "There could also be a case for protection under trademark law, but that is potentially difficult."

However, another of the controversial clauses in the directive has been removed for the time being. Article four stated that alcoholic drinks above 1.2% abv could not make positive brands-related claims other than being low in alcohol or containing a reduced number of calories. The council of ministers could still insist on the reinstatement of the clause though. And Pritchard added: "I have it on good authority these issues will be reintroduced at a later date."