Global Standards Coalition Promoting Moderation Among Those Who Choose To Drink

For millions of adults across the world, enjoying beer, wine and spirits in moderation is an important part of their social lives.

The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council (NZABC) is a member of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) and supports the first-ever global alliance of its kind, the IARD Global Standards Coalition.

This brings together more than 80 organisations around the world who have joined to show they are united in further accelerating reductions in the harmful use of alcohol and promote moderation among those who choose to drink.

This ground-breaking alliance includes IARD member companies and other private sector organisations across the retail, e-commerce, marketing and advertising, and hospitality sectors, plus sports bodies and digital platforms. In New Zealand this includes Asahi, DB Breweries, Lion NZ and Pernod Ricard.

Members of IARD’s Global Standard Coalition stand for:

• We firmly believe beer, wine, and spirits are adult drinks and oppose the marketing and sale of alcohol beverages to those below the legal purchase age.
• We put in place policies and practices to prevent marketing or sale of alcohol beverages to those below the legal purchase age.
• We equip our employees and partners with training and information to promote responsible business practices.
• We support and recognize those adults who choose not to drink alcohol.
• We work together to enhance safeguards and further raise standards to address the harmful use of alcohol.

IARD will assist the coalition by helping to showcase practices and develop resources to support others to act.

“We are supportive of the coalition aims to generate innovative ideas and share best practices to help further accelerate downward trends in harmful use of alcohol locally, nationally, and internationally”, says NZABC executive director Virginia Nicholls.

“This provides an opportunity for the private sector to show their unique contribution towards reducing harmful drinking and in promoting moderation among those who choose to drink”, said Virginia.

Although there are reductions in harmful drinking across the world, these trends are not universal. By bringing together partners from across the value chain, this coalition provides an opportunity to share good practices and accelerate trends.

In New Zealand the annual Health Survey tells us that 81% of NZ adults – four out of five of us – are drinking beer, wine and spirits responsibly.

New Zealanders are also drinking more than 25% less now than we did in the late 1970s. Fewer under 18s are drinking alcohol and those who do are drinking less hazardously .

IARD has recently produced a report on ‘actions to prevent underage drinking’. They have also provided free resources for retail staff and servers, to help serve and deliver alcohol responsibly. These resources are intended to complement, rather than replace existing material and to provide guidance where nothing is in place.

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About the New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council

The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council is a pan-industry group that comments publicly on matters relating to the beer, wine, spirits and beverages industry. It focuses on supporting responsible alcohol consumption and wants to see a fair and balanced debate on alcohol regulation in New Zealand.

About IARD

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. We are supported by the leading global beer, wine, and spirits producers, who have come together for a common purpose: to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking. To advance this shared mission, IARD works and partners with public sector, civil society, and private stakeholders. www.iard.org

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