Scotland could ban the selling of ‘energy drinks’ to young people under the age of 16, following a government consultation launched on 29 October 2019.
The proposed ban would apply to soft drinks which contain over 150mg of caffeine per litre and aims to reduce health risks that are linked with their consumption including headaches, stomach aches and sleep problems.
The Scottish government has outlined its plans to consult on a mandatory age restriction for ‘energy drink’ consumption in The Diet and Healthy Weight Plan.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recommend caffeine consumption by young people is limited to 3mg of caffeine per kg of body weight per day.
Scotland’s public health minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “Sleep is particularly important for the health and bejewelling of adolescents and poor sleep can negatively affect physical and mental health, as well as educational attainment.
“I welcome the leadership shown by many retailers and publicly funded leisure centres in banning the sales of energy drinks to under 16s. This builds on regulations in place in schools and hospitals.”
The consultation will close on 4 February 2020, in which the public response will inform the decision on whether a mandatory sales age restriction is appropriate, as well as how is best to implement the ban.
Scotland’s plans follow the decision to ban soft drinks high in caffeine in England and Wales after a UK government consultation in August last year.
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