Premixed alcoholic drinks are increasingly marketed with claims such as "low sugar," "gluten-free," and "low carb," creating a "health halo" around products that are often ultra-processed. Researchers warn these labels can distract consumers from the inherent harms of alcohol.
Professor Simone Pettigrew of the George Institute for Global Health noted that such labels lead people to assume a product is relatively healthy overall. A study led by Pettigrew, which audited 534 ready-to-drink alcoholic products, found that one in five lacked a mandatory ingredients list. Of those that did list ingredients, nearly half contained industrial additives, classifying them as ultra-processed.
Despite this, almost half of these ultra-processed products carried "better for you" labels. Julia Stafford, Deputy Chair of the Cancer Council's nutrition, alcohol and physical activity committee, emphasised that alcohol itself is the primary concern in alcoholic products, not their carb or sugar content. She highlighted that alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is no "healthy" level of consumption regarding cancer risk.
Dr. Aimee Brownbill, policy and research director at the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (Fare), stated that alcohol brands use terms like "clean" and "natural" to counteract the perception of alcohol as unhealthy. A 2025 Fare survey indicated that 44% of Australians wanted to reduce or stop drinking for health reasons. Research involving over 2,000 Australian adults found that almost half were more likely to purchase products marketed with these health claims, with younger individuals and those identifying as female showing particular positive attitudes towards lower sugar and calorie claims.