Developing and Applying a Typology of 'Better for You' Claims on Alcohol Products.

Abstract

Introduction: To appeal to health-conscious consumers, alcohol producers are marketing products with a range of 'better for you' claims. This study aims to: (i) develop a typology of text-based 'better for you' claims used on alcohol products; (ii) assess the prevalence of these claims in the Australian market overall and by alcohol category; and (iii) identify the extent to which products display multiple claims.

Methods: Between March and November 2024, images of 5982 unique alcohol products were captured in-store from three retailers in Australia. The products were coded for presence and type of 'better for you' claims, with each claim classified into an emergent typology of categories. Descriptive analyses were conducted overall and by alcohol category.

Results: Eight major categories of claims were identified: nutrient content, energy content, absence of ingredient, low alcohol, fruit/botanical references, natural, processing and vegan claims. Across the sample, 35% of products displayed at least one claim (range: 1-9 claims), and one in eight displayed multiple claims. Cider (91%) and premix (75%) categories contained the highest proportion of products featuring at least one claim.

Discussion and conclusions: The use of claims across the Australian alcohol market appears to be quite common, particularly on premix and cider products. Limited regulation of claims allows companies to portray products as 'better for you', potentially misleading consumers and taking advantage of their efforts to be health-conscious. Future work in Australia should prioritise developing policies that restrict the use of claims on alcohol products, particularly those shown to be misleading.