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Thank you Chair.
I am Julian Braithwaite, President and CEO of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which is supported by leading beer, wine and spirits producers, who have come together for a common purpose: to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking. The World Brewers Alliance and the World Spirits Alliance associate themselves with this statement.
We are all committed to reducing the harmful use of alcohol and actively support the United Nations’ comprehensive strategy to address noncommunicable diseases.
This year’s High-Level Meeting presents a crucial opportunity to advance our collective efforts toward achieving the UN’s 2030 goals related to reducing the harmful use of alcohol. Real progress requires active and constructive participation from all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and notably, the private sector.
That multistakeholder approach explicitly underpins the UN strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, and the evidence clearly indicates that this is working.
The WHO’s 2024 Global Status Report confirms a global reduction in alcohol-related death rates of over 20% from 2010 to 2019, with some regions, such as Europe, experiencing declines exceeding 29%. [1]
Additionally, since the 2018 High-Level Meeting, data shows that underage drinking prevalence decreased or stabilized in three-quarters of the countries with available data from 2010 to 2023, marking substantial progress in alignment with international public health objectives. [2]
In response to the UN’s specific call to action at the last High-Level Meeting in 2018, the beverage alcohol sectors have taken significant and concrete steps to eliminate marketing, advertising, and sales of alcohol to minors.
We have established rigorous standards for digital marketing, surpassing the 2024 target with over 95% compliance across tens of thousands of online campaigns. [3]
Nielsen data demonstrates the effectiveness of these measures, showing that the risk of minors encountering an alcohol advertisement online is less than 1%. [4]
Moreover, over a billion beer, wine, and spirits products globally now feature clear age-restriction reminders on their labels, including on alcohol-free brand extensions. Labels now also consistently warn against drinking during pregnancy and intoxicated driving, further reinforcing responsible consumption messages.
Our members and partners have supported legislative efforts designed to tackle underage drinking, including for example, the introduction of a legal purchase age in Cambodia.
Recognizing the growing importance of online sales, we have pioneered new global standards for responsible alcohol e-commerce. These new safeguards provide for age verification at the point of sale and delivery, are supported by training for delivery agents and now protect more than 800 million consumers worldwide through our partnership with major delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat Takeaway, Grab, and JD.com, with locally tailored codes implemented in countries such as China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands.
Our collaborative efforts extend across the retail, hospitality and digital sectors. We have taken clear the ask of the private sector included in the 2018 Political Declaration and used it as a rallying call for companies throughout the value chain, creating a powerful coalition of organizations that are committed to playing their role in reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
Over 90 companies are signatories to our Global Standards Coalition, including leading retailers and e-commerce providers such as Walmart, SPAR International, Mercardo Libre in Latin America, DiDi Food in China, and Jumia in Africa.
These partnerships empower frontline staff to responsibly manage the sale and service of alcohol and effectively refuse sales to minors.
We believe these collective actions since 2018 underscore our members’ and partners’ substantial commitment to tackling underage and harmful drinking, complementing governmental and civil society efforts meaningfully.
Looking ahead, IARD, its members and partners, alongside the World Brewers Alliance and the World Spirits Alliance, reaffirm our readiness to deepen this collaboration with the United Nations, WHO, and all stakeholders as part of the UN’s whole-of-society approach, particularly through active support for this year’s High-Level Meeting.
In closing, we strongly support the UN strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and remain dedicated to achieving our shared public health and sustainable development goals.
Thank you.
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For more information, please contact: Rodrigo de Casas – rdecasas@iard.org
World Health Organization (WHO). (2024). Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240096745
International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). (18 October 2023). IARD's new report: Actions to prevent underage drinking. https://www.iard.org/press/Actions%20to%20Prevent%20Underage%20Drinking
International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). (2024). Digital Guiding Principles 2024 update: Leading beer, wine, and spirits producers surpass their implementation target, and continue to work towards full compliance. https://iard.org/getmedia/d8057d62-6bed-442d-81a3-cc5536ab268e/241111_DGP_2024_A4.pdf
World Federation of Advertisers (WFA). 29 March 2022. Independent study shows low ad exposure to alcohol ads online. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2022/03/29/Independent-study-shows-low-ad-exposure-to-alcohol-ads-online
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
IARD’s members are AB InBev, Asahi, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Moët Hennessy, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard, Suntory Global Spirits, and William Grant & Sons. Associate members: The Coca-Cola Company and LOTTE Chilsung Beverage.
© 2021 International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
IARD’s members and the members of its Partnership Council are a diverse group of organizations with a variety of viewpoints. They might not necessarily agree on all or any subjects. Any statements, findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed on this website do not reflect the policies or views of all IARD members or the organizations they represent, unless explicitly stated. However, all members agree on and support IARD’s mission of reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
The resources on this website are not intended as health advice to individuals about their drinking. People with specific questions about their drinking are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional. Together, they can determine what is best for that individual, based on individual risk factors, including family history, genetics, and lifestyle. For some people, the better choice may be to not drink at all.
