Rob has added his welcome to Morrisons’ announcement that it has launched a trial ban on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in some of its stores.
Rob, who has raised the issue in Parliament and with Government ministers since being alerted by a constituent to the effects the drinks can have on the behaviour of children and young people, has written to the chief executives of the other leading supermarkets calling on them to follow suit.
In a parliamentary debate last summer, Rob suggested a temporary ban on shop sales of high caffeine energy drinks to under-16s, as a “precautionary step” ahead of the findings of further research into the health and economic costs of high-energy drinks. Morrisons has now confirmed in a report on Saturday that a number of its stores are not selling high caffeine drinks to under-16s unless they are accompanied by an adult. The supermarket is also implementing a “Challenge 25” policy to ensure the ban is enforced consistently. The supermarket has agreed to monitor the impact of the ban before deciding whether to roll it out across all of its stores.
Rob has now written to other major supermarkets urging them to follow suit. Mr Wilson said:
“Studies from around the world have been linked high caffeine energy drinks with serious adverse effects including heart palpitations, hallucinations, seizures, mania, stroke, diabetes or sudden death. In several countries the sale of these drinks to teenagers is banned, sometimes as a result of self-imposed action by the drinks industry.
“For some time now, I have called for this country to make its own assessments of whether the levels of caffeine in drinks are wise or acceptable, and this needs to be based on a comprehensive study of all the evidence available and the advice of experts. Last year I suggested that safeguards on the sales of these drinks to under-16s would be wise as a precautionary step. I am therefore delighted that Morrisons have initiated this trial ban and look forward to learning about its findings.
“What is needed now is for the other supermarkets and retailers to join in the trial ban so we can get a more complete picture of its impact from across the whole market. It may be that children and teenagers simply go to buy the caffeine drinks from other outlets or that the supermarkets find little impact on sales. A more complete picture from a wider trial ban would provide a better evidence base for future action. I have written to the chief executives of the major supermarkets to urge them to join the trial ban.”