ENERGY DRINKS VICTORY
Kids to be banned from buying ‘danger’ cans after Mirror campaign
SALES of energy drinks to children are to be outlawed.
Victory for the Mirror’s Can It! campaign was confirmed by the PM. A Tory source said: “It’s a question of how, not whether, we do it.”
ID will be required to buy drinks such as Amp, Red Bull and Monster, with over 150mg of caffeine a litre.
YOUNGSTERS will soon need to show ID to buy high-caffeine energy drinks, as they do for alcohol or cigarettes. The Government today launches a 12-week consultation on scrapping sales to younger teenagers as part of the bid to tackle the childhood obesity crisis.
The study will explore outlawing sales to either under-16s or under-18s.
It comes after this newspaper’s Can It! campaign, backed by TV chef Jamie Oliver.
He said last night: “It’s great news the government is announcing their intention to stop selling these drinks to kids.” Confirming the consultation would lead to a ban, a Government source said: “It is a question of how, not whether, we do it.”
Theresa May launched the plan last night on her visit to Nigeria.
She said: “With thousands of young people regularly consuming energy drinks, often because they are sold at cheaper prices than soft drinks, we will consult on banning sales of energy drinks to children.”
ID will be required to buy brands such as Amp, Flying Power, Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, Relentless and V – and all those with over 150mg of caffeine per litre. Some also contain exceptionally high levels of sugar. On average, they have 60% more calories and 65% more sugar than other regular soft drinks. Experts blame them for fuelling obesity and tooth decay. More than two-thirds of 10 to17-year-olds and a quarter of six-to-nine-yearolds guzzle energy drinks. Potential punishments for shops which sell to underage youngsters would be thrashed out later. Health chiefs welcomed the consultation on a ban. Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: “Congratulations to Daily Mirror. You’ve got the government moving.”