British supermarkets Aldi and Asda have joined Waitrose in banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16s from March.
The move comes as both supermarkets seek to address concerns raised by consumer groups regarding the high levels of sugar and caffeine in these drinks, and the danger these ingredients pose to children.
Aldi’s ban will come into effect on 1 March, and will require customers who purchase drinks containing over 150mg of caffeine to provide proof of their age.
Asda’s sales restriction will apply from 5 March – the same day that Waitrose’s ban comes into effect – and will affect 84 products the brand stocks.
Current industry labelling guidelines require soft drinks which contain over 150mg of caffeine per litre to provide a warning that the product is “not recommended for children.”
Oliver King, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi told the Independent: “We are introducing this age restriction in response to growing concern about the consumption of energy drinks among young people.”
Andrew Murray, Asda’s chief customer officer added: “We take our responsibilities as a retailer seriously and work hard to ensure we get the balance right between offering choice and doing the right thing.
“We have listened to our customers and want to take a leading position in this area to support parents and teachers in limiting young peoples’ access to high caffeine drinks.”
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