FSAI Publishes New Guidance For Gin Marketing

New guidance from the Food and Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to ensure that Irish gin produced and marketed here is labelled correctly has been welcomed by Drinks Ireland/Spirits.

According to the FSAI concerns have been raised that some products, which are similar to gin, have been marketed to appear as gin and Drinks Ireland/Spirits said the new guidelines will help safeguard the industry against misleading products.

The new guidance states that for a drink to be labelled as Irish gin, a certain production process must be followed, the group which represents Ireland’s gin industry said.

Besides water and alcohol, the only other raw materials that can be used for making gin are natural flavourings referred to as botanicals. The predominant flavour in gin is always juniper.

Variant Flavours

Additional flavourings or plants with flavours may also be used to give variants like pink gin.

These guidelines encompass everything from the use of place names, to the listing of allergen information, to the packaging material used. They will further support producers in complying with EU regulations.

The FSAI said as Irish gin grows in popularity, there is increased chance that the consumer may be misled on what it is that they are consuming.

'This can undermine the high-quality products being created by Ireland's Irish gin industry,' it added.

Drinks Ireland and its gin producing and brand owning members said that it welcomes the new FSAI guidance, which it 'believes will be good for the consumer and good for the industry.'

“Ireland’s gin industry has gone from strength to strength in recent years," said David Boyd-Armstrong co-founder of Rademon Estate Distillery, the producer of Shortcross Gin and Chair of the Irish Gin Working Group in Drinks Ireland/Spirits.

"In the domestic market, gin has maintained its position as the fastest growing spirit, and Irish gin in particular has become increasingly popular," he added.