The Irish Brewers Association (IBA) has elected Keith Fagan, country manager of Molson Coors Ireland as its new chairperson.
“The economic contribution of Ireland’s brewing sector is significant, and I look forward to both promoting the sector and working with Government and other stakeholders to address the issues facing beer producers in Ireland,” said Keith Fagan.
Cancer Warning Labels
“Looking at the legislative agenda, the beer industry clearly supports the overall objectives of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, to tackle harmful and underage drinking, but the IBA is concerned by the proposed requirement for mandatory cancer warning labels to be added on all pre-packaged beer products.
Fagan noted that no other country in the world has mandatory cancer labels on alcohol products, and, as the 8th largest exporter of beer in the EU, such a measure will damage those exports and the reputation that Irish beer enjoys around the globe.
“Forcing Irish beer producers to develop labels specifically for the Irish market and a second set of labels for elsewhere will increase complexity in the supply chain and impact the ability of many brewers, particularly those smaller craft brewers, to export," he added.
The role of the chairperson became vacant when outgoing chairperson Maggie Timoney, CEO of Heineken Ireland, stepped down due to her appointment as CEO of Heineken USA.
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
