News • Children's Food Campaign
Call for age restrictions on energy drinks
School Food Matters backs Jamie Oliver's calls on the government to ban the sale of energy drinks to under 16s.
‘Not recommended for children’ is printed on every can of an energy drink. School Food Matters believes that therefore children should not be able to purchase caffeinated drinks. Currently 69% of adolescents drink energy drinks and 24% of under 10 year olds.
School Food Matters, who are a member of Sustain, argue that banning the sale of energy drinks within school gates isn’t enough. According to a study commissioned by the Scottish Government four in 10 young teenagers buy energy drinks off-site in their lunch breaks.
Last week Waitrose announced they will be banning the sale of energy drinks to under 16s from March 2018. Simon Moore, Waitrose Director of Technical & Corporate Social Responsibility, said that “These drinks carry advice stating that they are not recommended for children, so we’re choosing to proactively act on that guidance, particularly given the widespread concerns which have been raised about these drinks when consumed by under 16s.”
School Food Matters are asking the public to tweet the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt to put age restrictions on the sale of energy drinks to kids 16 and under.
Published Tuesday 9 January 2018
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
