ENERGY DRINKS BAN FOR CHILDREN

May’s controversial bid to crack down on obesity and hyperactivity

SELLING energy drinks to children is to be outlawed, Theresa May announced last night.

She said the ban was needed to tackle obesity, tooth decay and bad behaviour at school.

Excessive consumption of energy drinks such as Red Bull, Rockstar and Monster has been linked to health issues from sleep problems to hyperactivity. The products typically have more than three times as much caffeine as cola and teachers say they cause pupils to disrupt lessons and act violently.

Public views will be sought on whether the ban should apply to under-16s or everyone under 18.

Mrs May, who was last night in Lagos, Nigeria, said: ‘With thousands of young people regularly consuming energy drinks, often because they are sold at lower prices than soft drinks, we will consult on banning their sale to children.

‘Childhood obesity is one of the greatest health challenges this country faces. That’s why we are taking significant action to reduce the amounts of sugar consumed by young people and to help families make healthier choices.’

Most supermarket chains do not

allow under-16s to buy energy drinks but they are still widely sold in smaller shops.

It is thought that traders who flout a ban would be punished under the rules that govern the sale of cigarettes to children – with fines of up to £2,500.

Ministers are also considering a complete ban on the sale of energy drinks in vending machines to stop children getting around the restrictions. A government source said of the planned legislation: ‘It is a question of how, not whether, we do it.’

The proposals, which follow a sugar tax on soft drinks, were welcomed by food campaigners such as Jamie oliver.

But a senior minister criticised the move, saying attempts to tackle child obesity were going over the top. ‘Every day, something else is banned,’ said the source. ‘It’s just so depressing.’

The move would see Britain join Lithuania as one of the few countries to outlaw energy drinks. Under the consultation, which begins tomorrow, the Government will suggest all drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine a litre should be banned from sale to children.

Red Bull contains 320mg of caffeine a litre, but Lucozade would not breach the limit.

According to the Government, energy drinks have around 60 per cent more calories and 65 per cent more sugar than most soft drinks other than cola.

Ministers say more than two thirds of youngsters aged ten to 17 – and a quarter of six to nineyearolds – consume energy drinks, with intake among children up 185 per cent since 2006.

Public health minister Steve Brine said: ‘We all have a responsibility to protect children from products that are damaging to their health and education, and we know that drinks packed to the brim with caffeine, and often sugar, are becoming a common fixture of their diet.

‘our children already consume 50 per cent more of these drinks than our European counterparts, and teachers have made worrying links between energy drinks and poor behaviour.

‘We are asking the public for their views on the matter, to ensure energy drinks are not being excessively consumed.’

Duncan Selbie of Public Health England said children did not need energy drinks to get through the day and they offered only unnecessary sugar.

The consultation will also ask for views on introducing clear, consistent calorie labelling on menus in restaurants, cafes and takeaways. There could be new advertising restrictions as well.

Professor Russell Viner of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: ‘There is no evidence energy drinks have any nutritional value or place in the diet of children and young people. It’s therefore worrying so many young people are buying them at low prices and consuming them on a regular basis.’

Celebrity chef oliver said: ‘We have a massive problem with kids and energy drinks.

‘Too many children are regularly using them to replace breakfast. Teachers from across the country have told me how their lessons are disrupted in classrooms because of these drinks, packed with stimulants. The sale to kids should be stopped as soon as possible.’

The British Soft Drinks Association said energy drinks made up around 5 per cent of the soft drinks market, and were worth over £2billion in sales in 2016.

Its voluntary code of practice states high caffeine drinks should be labelled as not recommended for children or women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, and should not be promoted or marketed to under-16s.

THERE is no doubt that high-energy drinks – especially when taken in large quantities – can be bad for children’s health.

Their high caffeine content can lead to hyperactivity, anxiety and even heart palpitations. Little wonder the NASUWT teaching union likens them to ‘legal highs’ and says they help to fuel aggressive behaviour in schools.

In addition, some are packed with sugar and are therefore said to contribute to Britain’s obesity epidemic.

So it’s understandable that the Government is considering prohibiting their sale to anyone under the age of 18. But such a ban throws up a host of questions.

Firstly, would it have much effect? Most large retailers already refuse to sell these drinks to under-16s, yet that doesn’t appear to have reduced consumption.

Also, would extending the age limit give energy drinks a spurious glamour?

And perhaps most importantly, what is the exact purpose of a ban?

Cutting caffeine consumption and obesity are of course laudable aims. But a standard 250ml can of Red Bull – the best known of these beverages – contains less caffeine than a shot of espresso and marginally less sugar per 100g than Coke or Pepsi.

Should we also consider restricting the sale of those drinks?

Surely the real answer to the obesity crisis is to prise young people away from their TV screens and tablets and get them moving.

It’s nothing short of a scandal that so many schools no longer encourage vigorous, competitive sports. Playing fields have been sold off in their thousands and the result is only too plain to see in the declining fitness of our children.

Parents, too, must take responsibility for teaching their offspring to look after their bodies through healthy diet and exercise.

Banning energy drinks is little more than a sticking plaster solution. The truth is that the nanny state will always be a poor substitute for individual self-control.