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Original poster

Costa won't sell coffee/caffeine to under 18s?

97 replies

rcyclable · 27/04/2023 18:19

Dd16 tried to buy a latte from Costa earlier. Apparently the man serving asked how old she was as he's not allowed to sell caffeine to under 18s. She got the coffee as he said 'just this once but he wouldn't be able to sell it in future.

I asked if he was joking and apparently not. Is there any truth in this? I know there are restrictions on energy drinks, but never heard of anything like this.

OP posts:
Original poster
rcyclable · 27/04/2023 20:52

I've sent a query and mentioned that I've asked on Mumsnet. I'll update when they respond.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 27/04/2023 20:54

CarrotCake01 · 27/04/2023 18:46

I think that rule seems fair enough but only if it's actually consistent and clearly explained.

Definitely doesn't seem like a genuine policy if the server was so quick to drop it. Imagine if a Tesco worker just let alcohol sales through to underage customers "just this once"!

That’s completely different. Selling alcohol to under 18s is against the law and the shop can be in big trouble for it. There’s no law to say caffeinated drinks can’t be sold to people under a certain age. It’s just Costa’s policy and they don’t even apply it consistently.

They started refusing to sell DD coffee and she just went somewhere else.

DancingWithTheMoonlitKnight · 27/04/2023 20:57

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Just had to get that in, did you? 🙄

FatGirlSwim · 27/04/2023 21:00

My 15yo DS regularly buys coffee from Costa. My 13yo was asked if she wanted coffee in her frappe last time we went in. She doesn’t like it, but they offered it 🤷‍♀️

inwhichdorisgetsheroats · 27/04/2023 21:08

Our local Costa is next to the secondary school, and the place in full of school kids after 3pm. I think they'd be out of business if they bought this rule in!

Thinkwicebeforeyouleavemylife · 27/04/2023 21:17

NewNovember · 27/04/2023 18:59

Why is he a non fur caring about her health. Under 18's shoukd not be consuming caffeine unless the small amounts in chocolate.

Show quote history

It doesn't do the Italians any harm. They drink much more coffee than us and children will drink weak coffee from about 4 years old. Most Italians are much healthier than the English.

Honestly I'd wager that the occasional latte (weak as fuck anyway, mostly milk) is much less harmful for an under 18 year old than a mcdonalds, or any other takeaway, or the vaping that all teenagers seem to be doing these days

walktrotandcanter · 27/04/2023 21:38

dd works in costa and says this is the rule - but it discretionary - she never queries teens but did have a boy who looked no older than 10 ask for a coffee and she said no.

Beachhutnut · 27/04/2023 21:41

Really? My DD has been asked if she wants coffee in her frappé before she's 12.

wanttokickoffbutcant · 27/04/2023 22:08

My 13 yo and her friends spend half their bloody lives in Starbucks!

pointythings · 27/04/2023 22:14

I've been drinking coffee since I was about 8 at home, have had it black since my early teens. I'm Dutch, now going to ask my aunt who still lives there whether this is a thing in the Netherlands.

All the pearl clutching about coffee is making me laugh though.

LemonSwan · 27/04/2023 22:20

Hahaha your kidding 🤣 what has the world come to!

Original poster
rcyclable · 27/04/2023 22:22

Google search seems to say under 16 and it was in a few of the newspapers around 4-5 years ago. 🤔

OP posts:
Kyse · 27/04/2023 22:37

Qilin · 27/04/2023 20:51

Is it just coffee?
What about tea, green tea, hot chocolate, decaf, etc?
What about a bar of chocolate?
All have caffeine in.

That!

I've been drinking tea since I was maybe 7? Northern, my body is about 80% milky tea Grin

TrickorTreacle · 27/04/2023 23:51

WTAF.

Demolition Man is a Sylvester Stallone film that takes place in 2032, where caffiene is banned, so it seems like we're already heading that way!

I was drinking instant coffee at age 12 and the real stuff (beans) at 13.

People worry too much these days. Other things made illegal in Demolition Man are: smoking (fair enough), alcohol, chocolate, abortion, sex, swearing (yea you read that right!)

Pixiedust1234 · 28/04/2023 00:03

Wasn't it to do with that study regarding schoolchildren and those caffinated energy drinks? I assume they decided they didn't want a parent sueing them in the future.

The European Food Safety Authority proposes a safe level of 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight per day for children and adolescents. Many energy drinks also contain other potentially active ingredients, such as guarana and taurine, and more sugar than other soft drinks.15 Feb 2022

IncyWincyGrownUp · 28/04/2023 00:05

My 15 year old has been enjoying a mocha once a week for a couple of years now. It’s part of our weekend chill. He’d be gutted if some lad not much older than him decided he wasn’t allowed one. Thankfully, we tend to go to Nero, and our local baristas are pretty legendary on the not fucking with a family’s coffee front.

mumda · 28/04/2023 00:15

It's an expensive habit to get into.

Clarissa111 · 28/04/2023 00:20

No this isn't true. May be company policy I don't know. But I work at a shop that sells coffee, alcohol, painkillers and energy drinks. I did my restricted sales training update just yesterday. No laws on coffee or the iced coffee drinks.

NumberTheory · 28/04/2023 00:23

mumda · 28/04/2023 00:15

It's an expensive habit to get into.

If he was worried about this he shouldn't be working at Costa at all.

nationallampoons · 28/04/2023 00:26

Not true.

Although we have had customers order iced lattes for 5 year olds, that's a lot of coffee.

AliceMcK · 28/04/2023 00:31

Not coffee, but I gave my 11yo DD and her friend cash to pop into costa to buy hot chocolates and were told they couldn’t pay with cash. Ridiculous!

There is caffeine in lots of drinks, not just coffee, Costa should not be unilaterally deciding what age people should be to drink coffee.

AtChoService · 28/04/2023 00:36

mumda · 28/04/2023 00:15

It's an expensive habit to get into.

And a stupid one for children.

They don't need coffee to get them up in the morning or to keep them going through the day.

So why let them develop the habit and reliance on it? As demonstrated by a pp above who said she can't get going until she's had it in the morning.

Coffee isn't drink for children, imo.

GinBlossom94 · 28/04/2023 00:41

I have drank coffee since I can remember, even pre primary school age (my parents fondly tease me how I mispronounced it), I'd rather my kids drank coffee than Monster, but none of the weirdos like it

TooOldForThisNonsense · 28/04/2023 00:47

AtChoService · 27/04/2023 18:34

I'm not surprised. Good on them. I don't know what children need coffee for in the first place.

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was about 4! My Gran used to make me milky coffees at her house. She was from overseas so never had the British liking of tea so it was always coffee - not all the time but an occasional treat

OP I can see not selling it to under 16s as per energy drinks but not that rule for older kids

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