CAN DO BETTER

Shops fail to do age checks on 54% of energy drink teenagers

SUPERMARKETS are still selling energy drinks to children despite introducing voluntary bans, an investigation has found. More than half (54%) of youngsters bought them unchallenged. Yet all major stores launched an age restriction earlier this year to stop under-16s buying drinks with more than 150mg caffeine per litre. It came after our Can It! campaign.

Teenage mystery shoppers made more than 550 test purchases across the country for Serve Legal, the UK’s retail age check company. The results highlight the importance of the Government’s proposed ban on underage sales across all retailers.

Serve Legal chief Ed Heaver said: “There’s confusion around definitions of what constitutes an energy drink, who can buy them and what kind of identification is required.”

A 12-week consultation on the ban’s age limit closes tomorrow. Health experts warn the drinks, with as much as an ounce of sugar, lead to obesity and bad behaviour.