Popular ‘ready to drink’ pre-mixed spirits and cocktails sold in supermarkets are extremely high in hidden sugar and calories, warns NEW survey (the first of its kind) 154 products were collected in store via the ‘FoodSwitch’ app from the following retailers-Aldi, Asda, The Co-operative, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose & Partners and B&M. Alcohol can impair decision-making abilities, so it's a good idea to agree on a … Product Event Content. If so, choose whether to cut down or quit and make a change plan. These ready-to-drink (RTDs) are also known as alcopops. A gin and tonic with diet/light/or low sugar mixers were all 0g sugar per serve, except for Sipsmith London Dry Gin and Light Tonic (3.3g sugar per serve). Don't be surprised if you continue to have mixed feelings. Also, check the labels of any medications you take to see if there are any warnings about alcohol. Drinking alcohol also increases your risk for several types of cancer, including mouth, breast, and colon. A number of studies have linked the marketing of alcopops to increased incidences of underage drinking. COVID vaccination has started across the UK, making the country the first in the western world to commence an inoculation programme. ", "This Is Why Teenagers Aren't Drinking Alcopops Anymore", "New wave of 'sophisticated' alcopops fuels teenage binge drinking", Cocktail Times | Ready To Drink (RTD) Fact Sheet, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ready_to_drink&oldid=994514732, Articles needing additional references from March 2014, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 December 2020, at 03:02. Notice how drinking affects you. If consumers knew how much sugar was really in these drinks, would they still happily choose to drink their way to tooth decay, obesity and type 2 diabetes?”. Research has shown that binge drinking—defined by the CDC as 4+ drinks for women and 5+ drinks for men during one occasion—can negatively impact your immune system. Sort. “We urge the Government to introduce mandatory labelling on alcohol products in order to give all of us easy access to the information needed to make healthier choices.”, Lorraine Tulloch, Programme Lead, Obesity Action Scotland said: “Ready to drink alcoholic beverages may be convenient but this study shows the alarming amount of sugar the industry is adding to these products. You may need to re-make your decision several times before becoming comfortable with it. Behind the RTD Boom: Ready-to-Drink Cocktails See Sizeable Growth As Drinking Habits Change. Alcopops are mainly ready made alcoholic cocktails that are carbonated and bottled under various brand names. Product Availability. You should also eat a good meal before you drink, as drinking alcohol on an empty stomach will cause you to get intoxicated much faster and can be dangerous. Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said, “This research provides another example of the alcohol industry choosing to withhold basic information from consumers. Sadly alcohol producers have proven time and time again they won’t do this voluntarily. 00 (£31.43/l) Email. A NEW nationwide consumer poll [10] of 2,022 UK adults reveals: Holly Gabriel, Registered Nutritionist at Action on Sugar, says: “This is the first time a survey of this kind has been conducted and the results highlight an immediate need for alcoholic drinks to be included in vital public health policies. The survey incorporated a total of 202 ‘ready to drink’ alcoholic beverages sold in-store and online. [7], Table 2 showing the 3 highest and 3 lowest in sugar beverages per pack. Min. Bottled or canned ice tea, coffee, fruit or vegetable smoothies, energy drinks, yogurt drinks and alcopops (ready-made … “Alcohol Focus Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s statement that they will consider mandatory action if industry don’t act. These drinks are served in a premixed form and are ready for consumption at any time. Table 3 showing the 3 highest and 3 lowest in sugar beverages per pack, Goslings Dark 'N Stormy Black Seal Rum and Ginger Beer*, Tesco Triple Distilled Vodka With Lime and Lemonade**, The worst offenders in this category have in excess of 30g sugar (8 teaspoons) in a serving – more sugar than nine custard cream biscuits![8]. Our survey clearly shows that similar drinks can be made with less sugar and calories, yet drink manufacturers are failing to take the appropriate action. This drink has the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. [1] There is currently no mandatory requirement to display nutritional information on alcoholic drinks products. [5], Table 1 showing the 3 highest and 3 lowest in sugar beverages per pack, Tesco Strawberry Daiquiri Alcoholic Frozen Sorbet***, Funkin Nitro Cocktails Passion Fruit Martini**, Many drinks in this category were exceedingly high in sugar. These products aren’t required to have a nutrition label on them and we can see very few companies have chosen to provide this information.