The Courier’s “Can It” campaign is off to a flying start, with support from the Scottish Government’s health secretary.
Shona Robison shares our concerns over the consumption of caffeine-laden fizzy drinks by school pupils, saying retailers must act responsibly when selling the products.
“We welcome this public health campaign from The Courier,” she said.
“We already have regulations in place which ban energy drinks being sold in schools.”
Ms Robison described the Courier’s campaign to ensure the drinks are banned from schools all together as an “excellent example”.
“This shows how schools can make health promotion a key part of their schooling,” she continued.
“We would encourage retailers to act responsibly in deciding who they sell these energy drinks to.”
Ms Robison called on manufacturers to ensure their advertising does not target young people.
“We support the British Soft Drinks Association’s (BSDA) Code of Practice not to promote energy drinks to under-16s,” she said.
The health secretary also urged local authorities and schools to consult with retailers in their areas to ensure the code of practice is not breached.
Under current legislation, manufacturers must label “energy drinks” as “not suitable for children, pregnant women and persons sensitive to caffeine”.
