CSPI Alcohol Labeling Study
Final Results

Results of a nationally representative 10-15 minute telephone poll conducted among 801 U.S. residents 21 years of age and older. The study was conducted for CSPI by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates. Margin of error is +/- 3.5% at the 95th percentile confidence interval level.

Abbreviations used are as follows:

• All (all 801 respondents),

• M (male),

• F (female),

• DRINK (drink alcohol),

• NO DRINK (do not drink alcohol).
  

Table of Contents

1. Awareness, Knowledge and Usage of the Health Warning Statement 2

2. Attitudes Toward the Health Warning Statement (Agree/Disagree Questions) 9

3. Effectiveness of Possible Changes to Health Warning Statement 11

4. Actual Wording of Questions 14

Notes:

• The number in parenthesis under the column heading is the number of respondents.

• The numbers that appear as whole numbers within the columns are actually percentages.

1. Awareness, Knowledge and Usage of Health Warning Statement

2. Attitudes Toward the Health Warning Statement (Agree/Disagree Questions)

I am going to read a list of statements. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each.

3. Effectiveness of Possible Changes to Health Warning Statement to Make Them More Noticeable and Readable

I am going to read a list of possible changes to the health warning statement that appears on alcohol beverages. Please tell me whether you think each would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable.

ACTUAL WORDING OF QUESTIONS

I am going to ask you some questions about labels on alcoholic beverages.

1. As far as you know, does the law require that a health warning statement appear on the labels of all alcoholic beverages sold in the U.S., including beer, liquor, wine, wine coolers and hard lemonades?

2. When you purchase or drink beer, wine or liquor, do you look for or seek out the health warning statement on alcohol beverage containers and, if so, do you do so every single time, frequently, sometimes, or seldom?

3. Generally speaking, would you say that you usually notice the health warning statement on alcohol beverage containers?

4. Would you say that you notice the health warning statement on alcohol beverage bottle and cans all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, rarely or never?

5. Have you ever read the entire wording of the health warning statement?

6. How familiar would you say you are with the information contained in the alcohol health warning statement: very familiar, somewhat familiar, not very familiar or not at all familiar?

7. Tell me everything you can recall about what the health warning statement says.

8. What is specifically mentioned on the warning label as being at risk because of the consumption of alcoholic beverages?

9. Does the warning label specifically warn any type of person not to drink alcoholic beverages at all and, if so, who is that person?

10. According to the warning label, what does the consumption of alcohol impair a person’s ability to do?

11. Who is cited on the warning label as an authoritative source on the risks of alcohol consumption?

12. What are the first 2 words of the health warning label?

13. What is the total number of words in the health warning statement?

14. Do you sometimes find the health warning statement on alcohol beverages difficult to read?

15. IF YES: Would you say that is it is very difficult or somewhat difficult to read?

16. IF YES: Please tell me in your own words why the health warning statement can be difficult to read.

17. Do you sometimes find the health warning statement on alcohol beverages difficult to notice?

18. IF YES: Would you say that is it is very difficult or somewhat difficult to notice?

19. IF YES: Please tell me in your own words why the health warning statement can be difficult to notice.

I am going to ask you about requirements related to the health warning label on alcohol beverage containers. In answering, please think about your exposure to health warning labels on all alcohol beverage containers, such as beer cans and bottles, wine bottles, liquor bottles and other alcohol containers.

20. Do you think that health warning labels are located on containers in a conspicuous and prominent place all of the time, some of the time, not very often or hardly ever?

21. Do you think that health warning labels appear with a contrasting background that makes them stand out and makes them easy to read all of the time, some of the time, not very often or hardly ever?

22. Do you think that the words on health warning labels are clearly legible or readable under ordinary conditions all of the time, some of the time, not very often or hardly ever?

23. What changes do you think could be made to make the health warning labels more noticeable and easier to read?

I am going to read a list of statements. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each. ROTATE CHOICES

24. A warning message printed in all capital letters is more difficult to read than a message printed in upper and lower case characters. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

25. More people would be aware of what the warning message stated if it was easier to read. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

26. Health warning labels sometimes appear in the least prominent place on bottles and cans and this makes them difficult to notice and read. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

27. Warning messages often appear on a background color that makes them hard to read. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

28. Warning labels would be more visible and readable if the government was actually serious about people noticing them. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with this statement?

I am going to read a list of possible changes to the health warning statement that appears on alcohol beverages. Please tell me whether you believe each would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable. ROTATE CHOICES

29. Placing the warning label in a prominent place on the front of all alcohol beverage bottles and cans. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

30. Having the warning label printed horizontally or across as opposed to vertically or up and down. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

31. Placing the warning message in the same relative position on all bottle and cans. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

32. Requiring that government warning, the first two words of the health warning statement, appear in capital letters and bold face type larger than the remaining text of the label. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

33. Having warning labels printed in red or black type on a white background and surrounded by a lined border. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

34. Requiring that the warning labels contain a red pictorial device or icon, such as a triangle with an exclamation mark inside, that would attract the consumer’s attention. Do you think this would be a very effective, a somewhat effective, a not very effective or a not at all effective method to make warning labels more noticeable and readable?

For more information on alcohol warning labels, please click here.

August 2001