Now Tesco joins ban on energy drinks for kids

TESCO is to stop selling energy drinks to under-16s.

Its ban will start in March and follows similar moves by other chains. Waitrose announced earlier this month that customers buying drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre would be asked to prove they are over 16 from March 5.

Tesco said the sugary drinks, which already carry a recommendation that they are not for children, had not been marketed to under16s since 2013. A Tesco spokesman said: ‘Implementing new measures on energy drinks is another opportunity to help our customers adopt healthy habits.’

Last month, campaign group Action on Sugar found that typical serving sizes of energy drinks were larger than other sugar-sweetened drinks at an ‘excessive’ 500ml.

British youngsters are among the highest consumers of such drinks in Europe, figures have shown.

Kawther Hashem, of Action on Sugar, said: ‘We are delighted to see that Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Lidl – and now Tesco – have followed Waitrose’s lead with its ban and hope other retailers will comply. Energy drinks are a contributor to sugar intake which is linked to the development of obesity and various types of cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes, and is rotting our children’s teeth.’