The amendments result in one standard for all beer styles or types. If an alcoholic beverage meets the requirements of the beer compositional standard, the common name “beer” must appear on the label. The common name for beer continues to depend on its alcohol content (e.g. light beer). A declaration of the beer style or type (e.g. ale, stout, porter) is optional and would be considered supplementary labelling information.

Other labelling amendments: food allergen source, gluten source and added sulphite labelling

Prepackaged beers, ales, stouts, porters and malt liquors were exempted from the food allergen source, gluten source and added sulphite labelling requirements of the FDR.

The changes to the beer compositional standard allow for the introduction of new ingredients not previously permitted in beer that could include food allergen sources, gluten sources or ingredients containing added sulphites. The risks associated with the potential introduction of these new ingredients, as well as those ingredients previously permitted (e.g. wheat, barley, sulphurous acid), are addressed by amending the FDR to remove the labelling exemption. This helps to ensure that co