Fitting a quart in a pint pot: a comparison of selected alcoholic drinks produced in Nigeria and the UK

Abstract

This study compared volume, alcohol by volume (ABV), alcohol units, and health warnings on product labels of selected alcoholic beverages simultaneously produced in Nigeria and the UK. The volume, ABV, alcohol units, and health warnings in a total of 13 alcoholic beverage brands simultaneously produced in Nigeria and the UK were documented from product labels and compared. Alcohol units were calculated by multiplying ABV% with volume (milliliters), divided by 1000. There was variation in volume, ABV, alcohol units, and health warnings on product labels. Beer and stout brands produced in Nigeria were sold in 600 mL bottles containing higher ABV and alcohol units compared with similar brands in the UK sold in 400 mL bottles containing smaller ABV and alcohol units. Pregnancy and drink driving warnings were present on 18.2% of product labels of alcoholic beverages produced in Nigeria. The high ABV, alcohol unit, and absence of health warnings on product labels might explain the high level of alcohol consumed, drunk driving and road traffic accidents in Nigeria. Reducing the ABV and alcohol units in beers and stouts while displaying health warnings on product labels would have the potential for reducing harmful alcohol consumption and related harms in Nigeria and the UK.

Keywords:

• Alcohol
• alcohol by volume
• alcohol units
• health warning labels
• Nigeria
• United Kingdom

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Emmanuel Ezekwe for the role he played during the data collection phase and the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful suggestions and careful reading of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.