Liquor body takes to promotion of ‘responsible’ drinking

‘If you choose to drink, drink less and drink better’; this seems to be the new mantra, the International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI) is propagating to enhance the spirit of celebration of ‘big fat Indian weddings’. Interestingly, the Association is recognized as an authoritative voice of the Indian premium alcoholic beverage industry, with a keen insight into the government policy. It is also instrumental in shaping the industry perspectives, driving best practices and promoting a responsible use of alcoholic beverages. Its members include big-time players like Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown Forman, Campari Group, Diageo-United Spirits, Moët Hennessy, Pernod Ricard, and William Grant & Sons, each of which is global giants in the spirits and wine industries. It should be noted that the wedding season has just begun in India. In economic terms, weddings are the fourth largest industry in India, which is expected to add Rs. 4.25 lakh crore to the GDP in 2023. Moreover, this is an industry that will never go out of fashion. The Delhi-NCR region alone will host more than 35 lakh weddings this season, according to the traders' body. And Alcobev often plays a central role in these celebrations.

It is pertinent to mention that alcobev products have varying levels of alcohol content. And the whole idea of propagating this mantra of ISWAI stems from the fact that there is a misconception among many that a product with low alcohol content is a relatively milder product. This belief is based on a lack of understanding about the composition of alcohol. One reason behind such a presumption is in the way alcohol content is labelled and perceived in different beverages. Alcoholic products often display their alcohol-by-volume (ABV), which indicates the percentage of alcohol in the entire SKU. Consumers might mistakenly assume that drinks with a lower ABV alcohol are milder. However, the standard serving sizes have the same amount of pure alcohol. For instance, a 99ml glass of wine at 13 per cent ABV, a 30ml serving of spirits at 42.8 per cent ABV or a 257ml glass of beer at five per cent ABV will all contain the same amount of pure alcohol.

One should understand that even though spirits have a higher ABV, they contain the same alcohol per standard serving. There should be no room for any doubt on that count. This means that drinking multiple glasses of lower-ABV drinks can result in a higher alcohol intake compared to consuming a smaller quantity of a higher-ABV product. ISWAI now wants to clear this misconception, once and for all. The ISWAI advocacy is aimed at that very direction as a means to set the record straight. The global liquor body’s initiative is, notwithstanding, the fact that ISWAI members account for a substantial portion of the tax revenue generated from branded alcoholic spirits and wines across the country. Moreover, they generate significant employment and business opportunities, both directly, and by way of ancillary industries and services across states.