Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading
Food Labelling in the UK - A supporting material page |
Definition of 'alcohol substitute drink'
Under the Finance Act 2017 which introduced a levy on cerrtain soft drinks containing sugar, exemptions were provided for certain types of drink which included 'alcohol substute drinks' described as a'soft drink which (a) is similar to a particular kind of alcoholic beverage, and (b) meets such other conditions as may be specified' (Section 30(4)).
The Soft Drinks Industry Levy Regulations 2018 provided the detailed conditions for an 'alcohol substitute drink'. The DHSC Guidance on the use of 'low alcolol descriptors' only applies to drinks meeting this defition.
The wording of the conditions is given here:
.9.—(1) The conditions specified for the purposes of section 30(4)(b) are
(2) Condition 1 is that—
(3) Condition 2 is that the soft drink is made from an alcoholic beverage by a process of de-alcoholisation by which the alcoholic strength of the beverage is reduced to 1.2% or lower. (4) Condition 3 is that—
(5) Condition 4 is that the soft drink is manufactured by blending an alcoholic beverage of cider, beer, wine or made-wine with fruit juice, with or without the addition of water or other ingredients, to make a soft drink that is similar to the alcoholic beverage used in its production. Reglation 9 of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy Regulations 2018 |
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