Pernod Ricard claims that this is the ‘first digital label launch in South East Asia’, and is targeted at helping consumers make informed and responsible drinking decisions.
“Pernod Ricard is present in over 160 countries worldwide with major brands such as Martell brandy, Chivas Regal whiskey, Absolut vodka, Malfy gin and many more, so our reach is considerable,” Pernod Ricard Singapore Country Manager Alex Liu told FoodNavigator-Asia at the launch event of the digital label initiative in Singapore.
“But we are very aware that alcohol consumption can bring some really great moments of conviviality if consumers are responsible, but conversely can also result in health and social issues if done excessively.
“So our goal with this digital label is to promote drinking in moderation and responsible drinking overall – the label will provide real-time information that can help consumers make informed choices, and educate them in choosing quality over quantity.”
The digital labels will be accessible via a QR code printed on the back of all Pernod Ricard brands, starting with Martell in Singapore.
Scanning the QR code with a mobile device will lead consumers to a dedicated webpage with in-depth product information of the beverage as well as alcohol-related health risks, guidelines on responsible drinking and more.
“Information such as drinking guidelines and language will be customised according to the local context, so for Singapore we have included guidelines from the Health Promotion Board (HPB),” he said.
“This is a proactive measure for us to present consumers with more of the information they desire, and we are the first spirits group to proactively make this move.
“This will start with Martell and gradually appear on the labels of other products like Jameson whiskey, Chivas, and so on; and we are also progressively rolling out this measure to other markets in the South East Asian region, then look at the global market.”
When asked how practical this approach would be in markets that have limited digital accessibility, Liu highlighted that mandatory information will still be printed on the actual bottle labels to prevent ambiguity.
“All mandatory information pertaining to alcohol consumption will still be available on the bottles, so consumers will not need to scan the QR code to access these,” he said.
“This includes all information in line with local regulations, such as the warning logos for pregnant women not to drink, and that underage drinking is prohibited – so the digital label initiative is really a complement to these.”
Cutting the labels
Adding the information via a QR code is also part of the firm’s sustainability ambitions, to reduce packaging and its environmental impact.
“Pernod Ricard is looking a lot at innovations to reduce our carbon footprint, and going digital for the information [is well in line with this],” he added.
“We have already been trying to cut down packaging usage, such as with our premium whiskey brand Royal Salute where we changed the bottles from porcelain to glass and cut the carbon footprint down by 70%; and also with Martell where we have done away completely with an additional cardboard box surrounding the glass bottle.”
