Public Health boss backs energy drink sales ban for U16s
A PROPOSAL to ban the sale of energy drinks to under-16s and possibly under-18s has been supported by Public Health director Dr Nicola Brink and nutritionist Sophie Shand.
Prime Minister Theresa May has backed the change amid concerns that such drinks lead to disruptive behaviour in classrooms.
A consultation in the UK is set to decide whether a ban should apply to under-16s or under-18s.
Dr Brink said: ‘HSC was in conversation with major retailers earlier this year when there were calls for a voluntary ban on selling high caffeine drinks to under-16s. Since then I am pleased that these retailers have introduced a voluntary ban and I would encourage smaller shops to follow suit.
‘The sale of energy drinks – drinks that are typically non-alcoholic and contain high levels of caffeine and sugar, together with a range of other additives and flavourings – has increased dramatically in the past decade, with an increase of 155% in the UK between 2006 and 2014, according to the Food Research Collaboration – with young people aged 10-18 being the greatest consumers.’
She added: ‘Although energy drinks are frequently marketed and chosen as a way to relieve fatigue and/or improve alertness, research indicates that regular consumption can be linked to type 2 diabetes, gain in weight, insomnia, headaches, irritability, anxiety and, in fact, fatigue. HSC would therefore welcome this ban.’
Local nutritional therapist Sophie Shand said she never advises her clients to consume energy drinks.
She said that such drinks can negatively affect energy levels by an initial spike that then comes crashing down.
Also, energy drinks contain chemicals such as caffeine, additives, sugar, artificial colourings and sugar alternatives which increase toxicity in the body.
The body uses water to metabolise these chemicals, which leads to dehydration.
Energy drinks can also lower the immune system and reduce the capability to fight viruses and bacteria while also reducing the body’s ability to utilise calcium with all the magnesium excreted from the sugar.
Miss Shand said the body is already under huge demand through the teenage years and to pile energy drinks on top of that will put it under more stress, which may affect concentration and memory.
The Channel Islands Co-operative Society launched a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s from March this year.
The age restriction applies to products containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre.
Although the restriction on the sale of energy drinks is not compulsory for all retailers, the Co-op, in consultation with the Co-op in the UK, decided to implement the ban in the Channel Islands to play a part in helping to reduce the consumption of caffeinated drinks among under-16s.
Customers wishing to buy these products need to show appropriate ID in order to make their purchase.
Co-op chief operating officer Mark Cox said: ‘There is growing concern about the consumption of energy drinks among young people and, after consultation with the UK Co-op group, we recognised that we needed to act.
‘It’s a balance between offering choice and doing the right thing, so the decision was taken to play a role in limiting young people’s access to high-caffeine drinks.’
