Portman Group warns companies on hard seltzer products

The Portman Group, the self-regulatory body of the alcoholic drinks industry, has issued updated guidance to drinks companies on the hard seltzer category, asking them to ensure they have ‘ample cues’ to inform consumers hard seltzers are alcoholic.

The update follows new research by the Portman Group, which has shown that the understanding of the term ‘hard seltzer’ is low, with two-thirds of the consumers (65%) failing to recognise what it means when the word ‘hard’ is linked to ‘seltzer’.

“The UK is the leading European market for hard seltzers, but the phrase has yet to be anglicised and commonly understood,” Matt Lambert, chief executive of the Portman Group, said. “It is therefore incumbent on producers to ensure that UK consumers have additional cues to ensure that they understand that ‘hard’ products are alcoholic and are not alluding to a product’s higher alcoholic strength.”

Lambert also asked companies not to make health or wellness claims as it is against the law in the UK to make any health claims by alcoholic drinks. In the US, where hard seltzers are common, the product is often marketed as a healthier, low-calorie option for drinkers.

The survey has also shown that the consumer awareness of ‘hard seltzers’ has doubled to 14 per cent of adults having heard of the sub-category, which is expected to increase from £10m to £600m by 2025.

The updated guidance on hard seltzers recommends that the alcohol by volume (ABV) and references to ‘alcohol’ or the word ‘alcoholic’ is included on the front of the packaging as best practice to reduce the risk of consumer confusion.

Health claims are not permissible for alcohol drinks containing more than 1.2 ABV, and nutritional claims are only acceptable when meeting the criteria set out in the retained EU Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations 2006. Therefore, the group has urged all producers to seek independent legal advice, or guidance from Trading Standards.