Aibu to think energy drinks should be age restricted

[mermaidsandunicorns]

I work for a supermarket who doesn't restrict who we sell energy drinks to

I want to petition nag the hell out of head office to make them not allow us to sell energy drinks to kids. I would never allow my kids to drink this stuff and yet I frequently sell it to kids who are my own kids age and it's awful.
Or maybe the law should change
I'm
Interested in all your views on this

[PurpleMinionMummy]

I thought they already were restricted. Obviously not then?

[Floofborksnootandboop]

All the shops round here don't sell them to under 16s

[mermaidsandunicorns]

Do you think it should be law as ours aren't restricted at all

[NotStoppedAllDay]

What's your main problem with them?

[PegLegAntoine]

I agree.

At our local supermarket, there are signs on all the tills saying "do not sell energy drinks to [next door secondary school] children

[mermaidsandunicorns]

The level of caffeine that young kids are drinking!! It's bad for adults let alone kids I had a kid my 9yr olds age but 3 of these today

[mermaidsandunicorns]

*buy

[lifeisazebracrossing]

YADNBU. We have banned them at our school as the kids get addicted, rely on them, have crashes and even palpitations!

[YourDaughterHasATattoo]

Absolutely and totally agree. I work in a school and the impact of them in children's well being is unbelievable. I've seen Y7/Y8 kids come in with three or fours cans of Relentless. They'll have one before registration, then quietly sip on the rest throughout the day. They're buzzing by break time and unteachable by lesson 3. They then can't sleep at night (I've known a few sixth formers rely on energy drinks to keep them going, then a cocktail of over the counter sleep medication to help them sleep).
I feel so sorry for these kids, there is little obvious education or warning of the dangers of these drinks and most of the time they honestly aren't aware.

Please read the below WHO research link for more info:
www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/Pages/Warnings-issued-over-energy-drink-risks.aspx

[QueenOfTheCatBastards]

One of the local retail chains here restricted the sale of them a few years back, and only sell to obviously 16+ customers now. The backlash from parents was appalling. The general gist of the complaints was that it wasn't their problem what schools had to deal with, as long as their children were happy. The underlying message was that they didn't want to have to be responsible for either sourcing their child's drinks or to tell them they couldn't have them.

[QueenOfTheCatBastards]

On the flip side to that, a local chip shop does a lunchtime school meal deal and gives a free can of knock-off red bull away with each one. The owner was asked politely by the local school to reconsider the offer because t was causing problems with the students, and he refused.

[mermaidsandunicorns]

It's awful I really feel the government needs to restrict these drinks more

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

I'd love to see them banned to under 16s. The number of teenagers, particularly the boys coming in to school with cans and often 1l bottles of the stuff for breakfast is worrying. Regular consumption is a massive dose of sugar, and they become addicted swinging between silly highs and lows of caffeine withdrawal, neither of which are good for a positive learning environment.

I drink them sometimes if I have a specific need for a boost, and it is easy for them to creep up to a regular habit.

[hula008]

if its about caffeine, then coffee should be restricted too.

[hula008]

Posted too soon! Coffee has about double the amount of caffeine as energy drinks

[hellejuice91]

I work for head office of a major retailer. I agree they should be banned.

We have our policy store to store. If we have had an area where the school have reached out to us (along with parents etc) we won't sell them to children.


That being said we get so many complaints when we refuse sales (these come mainly from Mums) to children that it's difficult decide which way to go.

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

But coffee tends not to be seen as trendy by kids

[Teabagtits]

I have a relative who fucked up their liver with an addiction to energy drinks. They're well over 18. I actually think regulations should limit the amount of caffeine in these drinks.
As an aside I heard of someone trying to develop a caffeinated water. Why would anyone want that?

[hula008]

We can't just age restrict things because they are popular with kids 😂

If the danger is that children might consume too much caffeine, the danger is also there with coffee!

[mermaidsandunicorns]

I am def going to nag my hq as we have a big corporate policy on how we are a responsible retailer etc and I really hope they may change on this as we sell ours so cheap so of course loads of kids come and buy it like bees to the nectar

Excellent comment on changing caffeine levels completely

Although I've been known to drink a jäger bomb or 4

[mermaidsandunicorns]

Would they consume coffee on the same level they currently consume energy drinks tho

[hula008]

I think it's kind of not the point whether or not they would drink coffee in the same amounts.

Drinks with a small amount of alcohol, that you would never get drunk on, are still age restricted. Age restriction isn't about the product, but the harmful chemicals.

[WindwardCircle]

Coffee is about three times the price of an energy drink, and you can't buy three or four coffees on your way to school, put them in your locker and drink them throughout the day. Also while coffee shops have done their best to find ways of disguising the taste of coffee with syrups and whipped cream, sugar laden candy flavoured engergy drinks have much more appeal to youngsters than coffee does.

[mermaidsandunicorns]

Are you happy with anyone being able to purchase energy drinks then (not a snip I'm genuinely interested as I want to give this case to my employer)
I personally feel Kids don't drink coffee the same way they're drinking energy drinks and some of them are consuming highly dangerous levels of caffeine.
Do you not think retailers have a duty of care to not sell these products to school age kids

[Meekonsandwich]

I hate that it's not illegal. They don't drink coffee 5 times a day because it's not marketed at kids. However energy drinks are, monster has an edgy appearance and decal stickers aimed at preteens and teens.

I sold one at work the other day to a less than twelve year old and I stopped and asked if I was allowed to, because I couldn't believe it wasn't illegal to sell it to a child!