Pernod Ricard steps up measures to promote responsible drinking

Absolut vodka and Beefeater gin maker Pernod Ricard is extending its Wise Drinking programme by gradually adding, as inventories are renewed, the address www.wise-drinking.com to the back labels on all its bottles, across its entire brand portfolio.

When connecting to the page www.wise-drinking.com, consumers will be redirected to the responsible drinking site for the country in which they are located or, if the country does not have one, to the IARD (International Alliance for Responsible Drinking) site.

In the UK, for example, the page redirects to the responsible prevention website www.drinkaware.co.uk/ which provides the public with information on maximum consumption levels of alcohol recommended, by defining a unit of alcohol, and offering information on the effects of alcohol consumption and instances in which abstinence is advised.

The Wise Drinking programme already includes a mobile application, available in 37 languages, intended to provide real time checks on the amount of alcohol consumed and tailored to each country’s legislation.

As the Christmas and New Year celebrations approach, company affiliates are conducting a number of awareness raising campaigns to avoid excessive consumption. For example, Pernod Ricard’s Canadian affiliate, Corby Spirit and Wine Ltd, has joined forces with the public transport provider, Toronto Transit Commission, to offer Toronto residents free and safe transport on New Year’s Day. Last year, 225,000 people took advantage of the #CorbySafeRides campaign which was widely publicised via social media and billboards.