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02
Feb
2021

Recommendations And Guidelines for Brand Naming

by Michael Kotendzhi | Food & Drink
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As the volume of demand in low to no alcohol products accelerates, the UK’s Wine and Spirit Trade Association is rolling out the recommendations and guidelines to help manufacturers. Since no coherent knowledge has previously been provided by legislation, WSTA begins to collaborate with breweries in order to facilitate better branding and naming. The proper guideline following by the manufacturers will display clear administration and avoid misconceptions to the consumers. The alcoholic beverages that fall into the defined categories are designated to be 1.2% ABV or lower.

WSTA defines the guides into three main categories:

Beverages contained diluted or alcohol extract with under 1.2% ABV:

  • Beverages that contained biased additive such as vodka or gin, can display the reference but cannot be categorized in the same section.
  • Product labeling cannot display as a “flavored vodka”. It can only display as a “low (or no) alcohol drink made with vodka”. The additive to a low alcohol drink may be over 35% which is potentially misleading the consumers.
  • The percentage of biased additive should be clearly stated on the label or packaging.
  • Complete labeling specification from required EU regulation 1169/2011 should fully comply: includes ingredients list, allergens, and nutrition information.
  • It is recommended all ABV indications should be aligned to one decimal place through all lines of products.

Beverages based with ethyl alcohol of agricultural original diluted or alcohol removed:

  • Beverages contained agricultural originated ethyl alcohol is to display the description precisely.
  • The name cannot include a spirit category if it is not made from the spirit.
  • Complete labeling specification from required EU regulation 1169/2011 should fully comply: includes ingredients list, allergens, and nutrition information.
  • It is recommended all ABV indications should be aligned to one decimal place through all lines of products.

Beverages contained no alcoholic additive but accommodate the same flavor of a spirit drink:

  • Products that do not contain alcohol should not be referred to or include alcohol in their name. The beverages should be under soft drinks that create to duplicate alcohol contained drink and offered as an alternative.
  • Name labeling should be clearly stated as “non-alcoholic drink flavored” to ensure consumers understand this is a non-alcoholic drink.
  • Complete labeling specification from required EU regulation 1169/2011 should fully comply: includes ingredients list, allergens, and nutrition information.
  • The descriptive should display confirmative there is no alcohol contained in the process and the final product.

All the information from WSTA is a recommendation and provides general guidelines for manufacturers that they can be altered in discreet. 


Michael Kotendzhi is President of Operations & Transportation and a partner at 18 Wheels. Michael has over 15 years of experience and is equipped with a degree in Logistics from the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business. As well as a background in logistics from XPO Logistics (formally Kelron Logistics), North America's largest contract warehousing provider.

Michael's experience includes supply chain management, reverse logistics, & domestic transportation. He has developed 18 Wheels' trucking solutions, effectively utilizing the sister company's vehicle fleet and building a transportation supply-chain network across North America.