Not recommended for children: Waitrose to ban under 16s from buying high-caffeine energy drinks

Waitrose is to ban sales of energy drinks high in caffeine to children under 16 from March.

The supermarket said anyone buying drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre would be asked to prove they are over 16 years of age from March 5.

The move follows calls by campaigners for a complete ban on the sale of energy drinks to children following findings that their sugar and caffeine content remains high despite reformulation ahead of the soft drinks levy.

Waitrose said its decision was built on existing industry labelling guidelines, which require any soft drink with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to carry a high-caffeine content warning and state it is not recommended for children.

The British Soft Drinks Association introduced a voluntary code of practice in 2010 stating that high-caffeine soft drinks should not be promoted or marketed to those under 16.

In 2013, Morrisons announced a ban on children under the age of 16 from buying high-caffeine energy drinks in some stores.

Simon Moore, Waitrose director of technical and corporate social responsibility, said: “As a responsible retailer we want to sell these products in line with the labelling guidance.

“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.”

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Last month, campaign group Action on Sugar (AoS) found that typical serving sizes of energy drinks were larger than other sugar-sweetened drinks at an “excessive” 500ml.

Youngsters in the UK are among the highest consumers of energy drinks in Europe, figures have shown.

Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine and AoS chairman, said described the drinks as “completely inappropriate” for children to consume and said they should be banned for under-16s.