The UK government has announced plans that could see the sale of energy drinks to children banned, as part of its bid to help fight childhood obesity.
A consultation, part of the second chapter of the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan, explores whether the sale of the high-sugar, high-caffeine drinks should be restricted to over-16s or over-18s.
“We all have a responsibility to protect children from products that are damaging to their health and education, and we know that drinks packed to the brim with caffeine, and often sugar, are becoming a common fixture of their diet,” Public Health Minister Steve Brine said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Our children already consume 50% more of these drinks than our European counterparts, and teachers have made worrying links between energy drinks and poor behaviour in the classroom.”
According to Sky News, two thirds of children aged 10 to 17 and a quarter aged six to nine are known to consume energy drinks. It “does not help that some cans are sold for as little as 30p”, adds the broadcaster.
Energy drinks are linked to a range of childhood health issues, “from obesity, tooth decay, headaches and sleep problems to stomach aches and hyperactivity”, reports the BBC.
The energy drink ban would apply to beverages containing 150mg of caffeine per litre. Popular brands such as Red Bull and Monster Energy contain up to 320mg per litre.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
What to know when filing a hurricane insurance claimThe Explainer A step-by-step to figure out what insurance will cover and what else you can do beyond filing a claim
-
How fees impact your investment portfolio — and how to save on them
The Explainer Even seemingly small fees can take a big bite out of returns
-
Enemy without
Cartoons
-
Woman reunited with egg she signed in 1951
It Wasn't All Bad Good news stories from the past seven days
-
10 things you need to know today: September 16, 2023
Daily Briefing Ripple effects seen throughout auto industry as UAW strikes, Lee expected to bring flooding and storm winds to New England, and more
-
American rescued after 12 days in Turkish cave
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
-
What Mexico’s first female president might mean for the ‘femicide nation’
feature The Latin American country is grappling with misogynist crime amid a backdrop of progress for women in politics
-
Ukrainian military has ‘shown how the Russian army can be beaten’
Talking Point Recent Ukrainian frontline advances may offer hope for its counter-offensive
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
-
Protests in Syria: could they bring down the Assad regime?
Talking Point Threat to power grows amid poverty, inflation and ‘botched’ response to earthquake
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
