Britain’s government has been called upon to provide for
tighter controls on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks. It has been
suggested that there should be greater obstacles in the way of youths under the
age of 16, in line with the consumer advice recommended by the Soft Drinks
Association. Nutrition expert Prof. Mike Lean from the University of Glasgow
expressed his concern to the BBC, comparing the sale of energy drinks to
children as being similar to selling alcohol to children.
Gavin Partington, a spokesperson for the Soft Drinks
Association has claimed that the responsibility ultimately rests with parents,
and it is their place to make an informed choice. This would suggest that there
will be no push from the SDA for greater legal control on their
recommendations.
It is not the first country where high-caffeine drinks have
come under legal scrutiny. After a high-profile case in which a student died following
an assault linked with the drinks, Australian law has had progressively
stricter laws concerning the drinks, especially combined with alcohol. In
Western Australia, it is already illegal to sell energy drink cocktails past
midnight in clubs and there is reason to believe that further restrictions are
a possibility.
In Sweden, there is no legal restriction on the drinks, but
social disapproval has lead to a rare “Self-imposed” rule on the sale of the
drinks. Two major convenience store chains, 7-Eleven and Pressbyran, started to
ask for I.D on the sale of energy drinks, selling only to those 15 and older.
This private restriction soon became culture, and many others followed suit.
With this kind of public disapproval towards the underage
use of the drinks, perhaps there could be no need for restriction but there is
still a culture of either unawareness or lack of respect for this
industry-mandated advice elsewhere. It is in these places where more firm
restrictions could be needed in the near future.
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