Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Waitrose has today (Thursday January 4) claimed a UK supermarket first by announcing that it will introduce a minimum age limit on sales of high caffeine energy drinks.
From March 5, customers who buy caffeinated energy drinks containing more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre will be asked to prove they are over 16 years of age.
The move by the grocery chain builds on existing industry labelling guidelines, which require any soft drink with more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre to carry a high caffeine content warning and a statement saying that the beverage is not recommended for children.
Waitrose claims it is currently the only UK supermarket to announce it will introduce a sales policy aligned with the guidance present on energy drink packaging.
Waitrose director of technical & corporate social responsibility Simon Moore commented: “As a responsible retailer we want to sell these products in line with the labelling guidance.
“These drinks carry advice stating that they are not recommended for children. So we’re choosing to proactively act on that guidance, particularly given the widespread concerns which have been raised about these drinks when consumed by under 16s.”
