AoS Comment: Waitrose ban sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16
Today Waitrose have announced that they’re banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16, a move which Action on Sugar have been campaigning for (examples available here and here).
see Media Coverage here: Waitrose ban sale of high-caffeine energy drinks Media Coverage
Katharine Jenner, Campaign Director at Action on Sugar at Queen Mary University of London says, “We are delighted to see that Waitrose is leading by example with its ban and hope that other retailers will follow suit immediately. Energy drinks are completely inappropriate for children to consume, form no part of a healthy balanced diet, and should be banned for under 16s across the board. Our study published last month in the BMJ Open revealed that sugar, calorie and caffeine content in energy drinks remain far too high. Just one can of Rockstar Punched (500ml) contains 78g sugar – that’s nearly 20 teaspoons! The consumption of energy drinks is a huge contribution 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.”
