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Responsibility
The member companies of the Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien (Association of German Sparkling Wine Producers, VDS) are committed to the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages. Personal responsibility means knowing your limits: when driving, during pregnancy, at work, when playing sports, when taking medication, and for minors, zero tolerance applies. Prevention, transparent information, and clear rules have demonstrably contributed to reducing harmful alcohol consumption in recent years. This applies to binge drinking, drunk driving, and consumption by minors.
For us, responsibility and joie de vivre go hand in hand. Prohibitions and tax increases, on the other hand, are not the solution. What is crucial is education, personal responsibility, and an environment in which consumers are conscious of their alcohol consumption. As an industry, we exclusively promote responsible consumption—through education, attitude, and a clear commitment against abuse. We support the following initiatives in this context:
With the „Wine in Moderation“ (WiM) initiative, we are setting an example for responsible wine culture across Europe. It combines education with the cultural value of wine and conveys the message: “choose - share - care.”
Since 1993, we have been raising awareness of the dangers of alcohol in road traffic with our „DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE“ (DDAD) campaign and appealing to drivers to “stay sober when driving!” At the DDAD Academy, young people learn in a practical way how alcohol impairs reaction times and perception – and that conscious sobriety can save lives.
We also adhere to strict legal requirements when advertising sparkling wine, wine, and spirits. Beyond the legal requirements, the alcoholic beverage industry has for decades been fulfilling its responsibility for the presentation and advertising of its products within the framework of voluntary self-regulation, guided by the “German Advertising Council's Code of Conduct for Commercial Communications for Alcoholic Beverages.” In this way, we protect children and young people in particular and rule out any form of encouragement to abuse alcohol.
Enjoying sparkling wine consciously - doing the right thing
Enjoying sparkling wine on festive occasions brings people together all over the world. Hardly any other beverage manages to combine high cultural values and emotional moments. The German sparkling wine landscape offers an incomparable variety of products and quality for every taste and occasion. Whether traditional brand or new creation, our sparkling wine cellars bring high-quality products to life all over the world. It is therefore no wonder that Germany has the largest sparkling wine market in the world and the one with the highest sales.
Drinking sparkling wine at special or everyday encounters, successful project completions, victors' joys or in convivial gatherings has been firmly anchored in our attitude to life for decades. As an industry, we are proud of the fact that sparkling wine is held in high esteem both at home and abroad, thus contributing to the protection of actively lived winegrowing culture.
Enjoying sparkling wine always has something to do with the right measure. Only in this way can we intensively experience the quality of an alcoholic beverage and appreciate the associated experience. Conscious and responsible use of alcoholic beverages is a conscientious task and requires knowledge of the effects of alcohol, healthy lifestyle habits, and a low-risk environment for abusive alcohol consumption.
German sparkling wine producers are aware of their social responsibility. They exclusively promote the responsible consumption of their products and reject any form of abusive alcohol consumption. The members of the Association of German Sparkling Wineries (Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien e.V. - VDS) agree that certain life situations require a conscious abstention from alcoholic beverages in order not to endanger one's own health or the health of others. There must be no compromises in road traffic, during pregnancy, at work, during sports or when taking medication, and for younger age groups.
Together with its partner association, the Bundesverband Wein und Spirituosen International e.V. (Federal Association for Wine and Spirits), the VDS takes a clear stance on central issues related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages:
Responsibility to protect own or others' health
Social responsibility
Alcohol and road traffic
Consumption of alcoholic beverages alters the ability to perceive and react, which can pose a massive risk to one's own health and that of other road users, especially in road traffic.
It is therefore crucial to sensitize adolescents and young adults to the dangers associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages and participation in road traffic at an early stage by means of target-group-specific educational campaigns. Early traffic education for children and young people, starting at home, at school and, of course, as part of driver training, makes a significant contribution to this.
Particularly in the group of young drivers, some misjudge their ability at the wheel and are therefore exposed to an increased risk of accidents. An incorrect assessment of the situation in combination with alcohol increases the risk even more. Even though the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents has been falling steadily since 1991, young drivers and novice drivers are still disproportionately involved in alcohol-related accidents. Lack of driving experience, overconfidence, and poor knowledge of the physical effects of alcohol increase their risk.
Alcohol and youth protection
Protection of minors is a high priority for the VDS. The purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Germany is rightly regulated by the Youth Protection Act and linked by the legislator to an age limit. § Section 9 of the Youth Protection Act stipulates that alcoholic beverages may not be sold in public to children and young people under the age of 16. Only after the 16th birthday is the consumption of wine, sparkling wine, beer and corresponding mixed drinks permitted. For strong alcoholic beverages such as schnapps, liqueur, alcopops, and also beverages containing brandy, the age limit is 18.
However, protecting young people is not only a legal obligation for us, but also a moral one.
For the light alcoholic beverages sparkling wine, wine and beer, the age limit of 16 years contributes to the experience of responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages. In most cases, consumption initially takes place at meals together or at private parties in the family environment, accompanied by parents or guardians. These make an important contribution to the gradual learning of responsible and moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. For young people, drinking alcoholic beverages is often an expression of growing up and being an adult. In the search for borderline experiences, not only the family but also peers and leisure behavior are decisive influencing factors.
Between the ages of 16 and 18, a large proportion of adolescents begin to participate in social life on their own responsibility and independently of their families. Educating young adults to consume alcoholic beverages responsibly requires a society-wide approach. Accordingly, we advocate approaches to solutions that pick up young people through the acquisition of knowledge and not through normative regulations. Moreover, there would be a danger that the appeal of the forbidden could even encourage this age group to increase their consumption. Instead, the aim must be to minimize the risk of abusive use through long-term and sustainable prevention work. In this context, prevention means educational work to raise young people's awareness of the need to deal responsibly with alcoholic stimulants, starting at home and school. There is no alternative to education and prevention.
Alcohol and point sobriety
The question of whether a glass of alcohol during pregnancy is not at least occasionally justifiable leaves no room for interpretation: Any consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy is taboo.
The consequences of alcohol consumption for the unborn child are still frequently underestimated, even in Germany. The developing child in the womb drinks every sip of alcohol consumed by the mother. Nutrients and also ethanol (alcohol) can pass through the placenta and enter the bloodstream and the brain of the fetus unfiltered. However, since neither alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) nor aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are necessary for detoxification, are sufficiently developed in the growing baby, the child's liver only insufficiently breaks down alcohol. There is no difference whether the unborn child is in the embryonic stage or in the fetal phase. The brain of the fetus reacts even more strongly to the effects of alcohol. If the cell division should not work on one day, a developmental step is missing. Since brain maturation occurs throughout pregnancy, damage is usually irreparable.
In the worst case, too much alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and result in a wide range of clinical pictures such as growth disorders, heart defects, speech disorders or hyperactivity in the child. Characteristics such as an unusually small head circumference or deformities in the facial area are typical of alcohol-related damage. According to studies by the Federal Center for Health Education, 80% of those affected by fetal alcohol syndrome are dependent on outside help for the rest of their lives.
Consistent abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy is essential. This is the only way to avoid alcohol-related impairments such as physical, mental-intellectual deficits or psychological abnormalities.
The consumption of alcohol in the workplace is often regulated by labor law. Companies can individually prohibit the consumption of alcohol during working hours or breaks. However, even if there is no generally applicable, legally defined per mille limit for employees, it is better to set your alcohol consumption to zero during working hours.
Because where alcohol is involved, the safety of oneself or others is at risk when operating machinery or vehicles. Likewise, the quality and efficiency of work suffer.
Alcohol in the workplace can sometimes have serious consequences and consequences under labor law, such as a warning or dismissal. Accident insurance coverage can also be voided by a so-called alcohol clause in the event of accidents at the workplace.
Anyone who is active in sports should avoid alcohol before and after training in any case. Under the influence of alcohol, the ability to coordinate and react decreases, which increases the risk of sports injuries. The consumption of alcoholic beverages has a negative effect on the development of strength, speed and endurance. Blood vessels dilate, the heart has to pump harder, the body cools down more quickly and loses energy. In addition, the dehydrating effect of alcohol ensures that the body has already lost fluid before the fitness program. Increased sweating due to physical exertion leads to further dehydration of the already dehydrated organism and thus to the loss of minerals.
It is also not a good idea to quench your thirst with alcohol immediately after exercise. Since alcohol deprives the body of water, metabolic processes that are necessary for muscle growth and regeneration can otherwise only take place to a limited extent. Ideally, a few hours should elapse between athletic training and the consumption of an alcoholic beverage.
With a moderate and conscious attitude, the consumption of alcoholic beverages and sporting activities can be effortlessly reconciled.
Due to interactions, many medications are not compatible with alcohol. Anyone who is ill or taking medication should not drink alcohol and should seek advice from a doctor or pharmacist.
Some drugs inhibit the enzyme that is important for the breakdown of alcohol, and the resulting intermediate product acetaldehyde cannot be broken down further and accumulates. Delayed alcohol and drug degradation and toxic metabolites are the result. Other drugs increase or decrease the effect of a drug in combination with alcohol or lead to unforeseen side effects. In the case of sedating medications, the simultaneous influence of alcohol can even cause life-threatening consequences. Therefore, it is generally not advisable to combine alcoholic beverages and medication.
The business community is demonstrating a high degree of responsibility in marketing its alcohol products. Studies and national drug reports consistently show positive results in reducing harmful alcohol consumption over the past decade. This relates to binge drinking, underage drinking, drinking and driving, and mortality and morbidity associated with harmful alcohol consumption, and underscores that targeted prevention measures and legislation, combined with the proactive engagement of industry stakeholders, are paying off. The wine industry, in particular, has demonstrated specific expertise in effectively addressing harmful alcohol consumption. In addition to awareness campaigns, tools to educate consumers with transparent information on ingredients and nutritional values in products containing alcohol are an integral part of wine-specific measures.
The industry is firmly committed to continuing to help reduce abusive alcohol consumption and promote moderate sparkling wine and wine consumption exclusively as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Advertising creates added value for society and the economy and is an important part of democratic opinion-forming. With regard to alcohol advertising, Germany prescribes clear legal regulation. Over and above the legal requirements, the German alcohol industry has for decades assumed its responsibility for the presentation and advertising of its products within the framework of self-regulation and is guided by the "Rules of Conduct of the German Advertising Council on Commercial Communication for Alcoholic Beverages".
This set of rules was adopted as early as 1976 under the umbrella of the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry (ZAW). The extension of this regulation, created in 2009, protects children and young people in particular. Commercial communication may not show children and young people drinking or being encouraged to drink, nor may it be an incitement to consume alcoholic beverages. Nor may design elements with a youth appeal be used to address children and adolescents. The manufacturers of alcoholic beverages must set up an age barrier in their online presentations.
In principle, it is not permitted to visualize or trivialize abusive alcohol consumption. An advertisement also violates the German Advertising Council's rules of conduct on commercial communication for alcoholic beverages if it conveys a message that blames excessive alcohol consumption for overcoming problems, achieving a special feat or social success.
By respecting these rules of conduct, German sparkling wine producers acknowledge their obligation to design commercial communications for their products in a responsible manner. Advertising for alcoholic beverages in this way meets the required standards.
The evaluation and effectiveness of advertising self-regulation in Germany is the responsibility of an independent body, the German Advertising Council. The few, insignificant complaints made by the Advertising Council over the years show that the industry's self-regulation mechanism is working successfully.
In the opinion of the German sparkling wine producers, more extensive advertising restrictions for alcoholic beverages, which have been called for from time to time, fail to achieve the desired goal of reducing abusive alcohol consumption. Examples from Scandinavian countries show that banning advertising from digital and printed media neither leads to a decrease in consumption nor contributes to a different consumption behavior. According to the Drug Report of the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, alcohol consumption by Germans has been declining for years, which underscores that voluntary commitment by the industry works better than restrictions.
The sale of products containing alcohol is clearly regulated by law in Germany (see section alcohol and youth protection). Nevertheless, politicians are calling for measures to further restrict the availability of alcoholic beverages. So far, there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of sales restrictions in terms of abuse reduction. Bans and restrictions on the availability of alcoholic beverages therefore miss the target of abuse reduction and burden consumers who consume alcohol in moderation. Examples from Scandinavian countries show that regulated procurement of alcoholic beverages is circumvented and harmful consumption patterns persist despite restricted availability. Those who want to consume alcoholic beverages for moments of intoxication and addiction find their way, buying in bulk or over the Internet. The problem shifts to the private sphere without social control.
It is important to create a controlled environment to combat alcohol abuse, in which existing regulations and laws are strictly observed. Parallel to this, it is advisable to learn how to handle alcoholic beverages responsibly as a young adult, so that prohibitions do not exert an attraction.
On the surface, the political model of taxing alcoholic beverages may seem attractive. In addition to fiscal reasons, the health policy argument of the steering effect is often put into the balance. According to this argument, higher taxes on alcoholic products would lead to less consumption and less damage to health. Such an increase in the price of alcoholic beverages within the EU leads to distortions of competition and evasive movements in the market and even creates incentives for the trade in alcoholic products on the black market to appear interesting and for the illegally traded goods not to be recorded for tax purposes. Price increases are therefore not suitable to combat abusive alcohol consumption causally. Instead, they burden those who consume alcohol moderately and responsibly. To date, there is no empirical evidence for the effectiveness of taxation as a health policy instrument.
Tax increases alone have not yet made anyone healthy. The VDS would like to see honest political competition for the right measures and advocates making a clear distinction between enjoyment and abuse in the case of alcoholic beverages. Prevention and responsible action remain central building blocks for reducing harmful alcohol consumption. This applies equally to consumers and manufacturers. With the "Wine in Moderation" and "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE" campaigns, industry players are taking the initiative in making a significant contribution to consumer education and personal responsibility. The effectiveness of these measures can be seen in statistical surveys.
