{"id":26821,"date":"2018-03-06T11:46:57","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T11:46:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=26821"},"modified":"2018-03-06T11:46:57","modified_gmt":"2018-03-06T11:46:57","slug":"energy-drinks-ban-cardiff-school-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2018\/03\/06\/energy-drinks-ban-cardiff-school-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Energy drinks ban for Cardiff school children"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCHOOL children are no longer able to buy energy drinks in many of the big supermarkets, after a ban came into force last Thursday.<\/span>
\nRetailers Aldi, Lidl and the Co-op started restricting the sale of energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to under-16s on March 1. <\/span>
\nMorrisons, Asda, and Waitrose have followed suit and introduced the voluntary ban from yesterday. Boots, the only retailer that is not a supermarket, has also implemented the ban.<\/span>
\nThe Co-op on Station Road in Llandaff North is opposite the train station and attracts many school children on their way to Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. <\/span>
\nTom, 16, travels to school on the train every day and stops off in The Co-op most mornings.<\/span>
\n\u201cI usually pick up a bag of crisps and a drink like Red Bull or Lucozade. It keeps me going until break time,\u201d he said. <\/span>
\nWhen asked if he had eaten breakfast, he said: \u201cI had a bit of toast before I left the house but I need something else and this gives me energy to concentrate.\u201d<\/span>
\nJess, 14, is a pupil at Glantaf and walks to school from Whitchurch. She was drinking a can of Monster Energy which she had just bought from the petrol garage on Station Road before school. The 500ml can contains 14 teaspoons of sugar and 160mg of caffeine- nearly as much as a double espresso from Costa. <\/span>
\n\u201cI just like the taste of it. I\u2019ve never really thought about the sugar in it,\u201d she said.<\/span>
\nThe rules have been introduced voluntarily by the supermarkets amid concerns about high levels of sugar and caffeine, but not all retailers have implemented the change. Campaigners hope that the example of the major supermarkets will encourage governments to produce national guidelines on recommended consumption levels of caffeine for children.<\/span>
\nAlicia works in the Llandaf Co-op. She sees many school children buying energy drinks in the store on their way to and from school. <\/span>
\n\u201cThe new rules were a bit of a surprise to the staff here. They came with the posters telling us about the new \u00a310 note. Then on March 1, we had to start asking for ID. <\/span>
\n\u201cWe even have to apply the Challenge 25 rule, so we have been asking some people who are in their 20s for ID before they can buy a can of Monster Energy. Some people are not that happy about it,\u201d she said.<\/span>
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