Angostura puts advisory labels on products

Angostura is putting advisories on labels for its latest products. The upgraded labels on White Oak Watermelon Flavoured Rum inform consumers about the number of calories per drink and include warnings on underage consumption, driving under the influence and drinking during pregnancy.

A release from Angostura said this latest initiative puts Angostura ahead of its international counterparts, as the introduction of the new labels will increase the information on the rum products to consumers.

Launched in August, White Oak Watermelon Flavoured Rum is the latest addition to Angostura’s rum portfolio. The labels on White Oak Sorrel and Coconut Flavoured Rums also have warning signs and a responsibility statement. The advisory labels will be introduced to all new products and will be rolled out to existing products within the next year.

Angostura’s acting CEO Ian Forbes said while adding the advisory labels is an expensive process, consumers need to be better informed and understand what they are buying and drinking.

“This is really a natural progression for us...It has coincided well with the launch of several new and exciting products from us, such as our White Oak Watermelon Flavoured Rum. Despite a difficult year for the industry with the pandemic affecting sales, we will continue to work towards ensuring these new labels are on all of our brands.”

Forbes said this latest improvement on the labels is Angostura's duty to its customers. He hopes other companies will also follow suit.

The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) said the agreement with producers to improve their labels was made in mid-2019, with a commitment to implement within two years, to allow time to adjust packaging and to design and phase in new labels.

The association's CEO Vaughn Renwick said, “This is a ground-breaking commitment by rum brands, like Angostura, as it takes time to design new labels and to phase out old stock and sometimes even bottles have to be changed. It’s an expensive process. We are pleased to see that Angostura has been able to implement the changes on some brands already, especially bearing in mind the tremendous financial and logistical challenges posed by the covid19 pandemic.”