Egon Ronay says putting warnings on wine is a joke

Plans in the UK to place warnings on bottles and cans which contain alcohol have been deemed ridiculous by a world famous food and wine critic.

Egon Ronay says the British government's proposals to put health warnings on alcohol will expose Britain to "worldwide ridicule".

Caroline Flint, the Public Health Minister announced she was talking to the drinks industry about putting health alerts on bottles and cans similar to those on cigarette packets.

Flint says the warnings in pubs, off-licences and supermarkets could be in place in the next two years.

According to the minister because wine measures vary people did not always know how much they were drinking - while Ronay says that the alcohol content of wine, as a rule 12 to 13 per cent, is already quite clearly stated on the bottles.

At present about 80% of beer packaging advises people to drink sensibly but the new warning may combine information on units of alcohol with messages such as "Don't do drunk".

A spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association says that the industry has been in talks with the Government for several months.

Flint says negotiations with the drinks industry involved looking at best practice among retailers and producers in an effort to achieve uniformity and consistency.