Updated Bud Light labeling toasts product transparency

Jenni Spinner

March 18, 2019

2 Min Read
Updated Bud Light labeling toasts product transparency
Citing an increase in consumer demand for product transparency, Bud Light has introduced ingredients lists and nutrition information labeling on its beer secondary packaging.

Bud Light has added ingredients and nutrition information to the outer cartons of its beers.

The updated secondary packaging—introduced in February—reportedly targets increasingly nutrition- and ingredient-conscious consumers. While ingredients and Nutrition Facts are standard on food and non-alcoholic beverage shelves, this voluntary addition to Bud Light’s cartons marks an apparent first for this category.

“When people walk through a store, they are used to seeing ingredient labels on products in every aisle, except for the beer, wine and spirits aisle,” says Andy Goeler, vp of marketing, Bud Light. “We believe increasing on-pack transparency will benefit the entire beer category and provide our consumers with the information they expect to see.”

While many beer brands list ingredient and serving information on corporate websites, they require consumers to hunt the data down. Goeler adds he believes food and beverage brands have led the way in product transparency—and other categories have some catching up to do.

“Beer, wine and spirits are a little bit behind when it comes to displaying ingredients on their packaging versus other food and beverage products,” he says. “Because transparency is so important to consumers these days, we wanted to try to push things forward.”

Shoppers now will know at a glance that Bud Light contains hops, barley, water and rice. Additional icons and messaging highlight the absence of preservatives, corn syrup and artificial flavoring in the brews. The new labeling (which required no significant change to packaging lines) appears on the cartons’ bottom panel. In addition, the ingredient and nutrition information will be displayed on store shelves to inform shoppers.

Goeler says brand owner Anheuser-Busch is considering adding the labeling to primary packaging (such as cans and bottles) in the near future.

Jenni Spinner

Freelance writer and former Packaging Digest senior editor Jenni Spinner is a trade journalist with more than two decades of experience in the field. While she has covered numerous industries (including construction, engineering, building security, food production and public works), packaging remains her favorite.

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