Original title: Energy drinks to be banned for under 16s
Energy drinks to be banned for under 16s 7 hours ago Share Save Michelle Roberts Digital health editor, BBC News Share Save Getty Images The government is planning a new law in England to stop anyone under the age of 16 buying energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime from shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online. Up to a third of UK children are thought to consume these types of drinks every week, despite most supermarkets having already introduced a voluntary ban. Some popular drinks contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said he was acting on the concerns of parents and teachers and tackling the issue “head on”, to protect young people’s health. Lower-caffeine soft drinks, such Diet Coke, are not affected, and neither are tea and coffee. A consultation will now run for 12 weeks to gather evidence from health and education experts as well as the public and retailers and manufacturers. TV chef Jamie Oliver ha