Beer Brands to List Calories

Four of the world’s largest brewers have agreed to add calorie counts to packaging in Europe, and the US could be next.  Anheuser-Busch InBevSA, SABMiller PLC, Heineken NV and Carlsberg A/S are all members of the Brewers of Europe, a trade body representing beer makers across the continent.  The trade group recently voted to begin listing calorie counts as early as this week.

The decision comes as alcohol producers are facing increased pressure to follow the food industry by providing more detail on nutritional labels.  The pressure on the food industry comes from a growing trend, especially among developed markets, for healthier choices in meals and foods.  In 2014, 71% of Americans polled said “healthfulness” was a consideration when buying foods and beverages according to the International Food Information Council Foundation.

The brewers’ trade group is following on the heals of Diageo, the world’s largest alcoholic beverage company, which will begin printing per-serving calorie counts on products including Smirnoff and Guiness, and may be in stores in the next two months.

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