‘What's on the Label?’ – the Uptake and Distribution of Alcohol Warning Labels in Dublin Retail Stores Following Delay in Policy Implementation

Objectives In May 2023, under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, Ireland introduced mandatory labels on alcohol products from May 2026, containing cancer and liver disease warnings, nutritional information and pregnancy pictogram. In July 2025, compliance date was postponed until September 2028, following industry opposition and political pressures. However, anecdotal reports showed occasional early adoption. This study assessed the proportion of alcohol products displaying warning labels shortly after the postponement announcement and five months later. Methods Five Dublin stores were selected based on size and geographical representation and visited at two time points: 26 August–8 September 2025 and 30 January–10 February 2026. Products with warning labels were counted across beers, wines, and spirits. Additional product characteristics were recorded. Results At the first audit, 6.7% (45/671) of products displayed alcohol warning labels, increasing to 8.3% (54/650) at follow-up, most commonly on wine. Most warning labels were positioned horizontally on the back (93.3%). QR codes featured on 84.4% of products and 13.3% included additional voluntary health-related information. Conclusions A limited number of audited alcohol products contained warning labels ahead of the original compliance deadline. Ongoing monitoring is essential to track whether this momentum continues ahead of the September 2028 deadline.