Europe targets alcohol in the fight against cancer

Tomorrow, the European Commission will present an ambitious plan to ‘beat cancer’. One of the most remarkable proposals is the mandatory indication of calories on the label of alcoholic beverages.

Less advertising

In addition to the calorie indication by 2023, the ingredients of the alcoholic beverage would also have to be listed, and there might be a health warning, writes Belgian newspaper De Standaard. The Commission also wants to curb online advertising and marketing for alcoholic beverages.

Reducing alcohol consumption is only one of the pillars of the extensive plan against cancer. For example, there is also a whole series of proposals relating to smoking products. Furthermore, the Commission is thinking of making fruit, milk and vegetables more available in schools, and it wants to increase the taxation on soft drinks and sugary drinks.

Worrying figures

Every year, 2.6 million people in the EU are diagnosed with cancer. The Commission says action is needed, as the EU accounts for around a quarter of all cancer cases worldwide while representing less than 10 per cent of the world’s population. “Without significant action, the number of cases will rise with 25 per cent by 2035, making cancer the number one cause of death,” is said.