The Consumer Council asks the Storting to introduce an age limit on the sale of energy drinks. "This is a product that is not intended for children, so it should not be sold to children," says Inger Lise Blyverket, director of the Consumer Council.
The public health report was presented on Friday. There, the government says it is concerned about the increasing consumption of energy drinks and will consider possible measures, such as an age restriction, among others.
– It's exactly the same as they said in 2019, since then energy drink sales have almost doubled. Consumer Council expected the government to take action now and introduce an age limit for purchasing energy drinks, says Blyverket.
Irresponsible and naive
A leading agency says public health work must focus on children and young people. She is concerned about the development of sales and consumption of energy drinks - especially among the youngest.
The average age of first energy drink consumption is 12,5 years, 12 years for boys and 13 years for girls. Growth is greatest among girls and younger age groups, according to a recent study by the Consumer Council.
– This is a product that is not intended for children, so it should also not be sold to children. When we know that more and more young people are becoming consumers and the industry's self-regulation is not working at all, we need an age limit for buying energy drinks, says Blyverket.
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Sales almost doubled
– I expect the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Kjersti Toppe, to do everything in her power to introduce a statutory age limit. As an opposition politician, Toppe was interested in limiting the consumption of energy drinks by children, says Blyverket.
Since 2019, sales of energy drinks have almost doubled: from 41 million liters in 2019 to 73 million liters in 2022.
"Introducing a statutory age limit of 16 will be a targeted, effective and necessary measure that several other countries have already introduced," says Blyverket.
Now there is no formal, statutory age limit for the sale of energy drinks. It is naïve to think that self-regulation by the industry will be enough once energy drink producers sit on the committee, says Blyverket.
“Taking aggressive action to reduce unhealthy food and drink consumption, such as introducing a statutory age limit for the sale of energy drinks, proves difficult when policy makers are looking to sell as many cans of energy drink as possible, says Blyverket.
Daily intake
The high caffeine content of energy drinks makes one 0,5 liter can enough to cause both sleep disorders. It also affects the cardiovascular and central nervous systems in young people.
Blyverket is therefore concerned about how daily drinking of energy drinks has become and points to a 2021 Consumer Council study that shows a terrifying development among the youngest children. A quarter of 10-12 year olds who drink energy drinks say they do so weekly.
— Children and young people are in a difficult phase of life, both physically, mentally and socially. What is most concerning is that drinking soft drinks industrially designed with substances that stimulate the central nervous system has become completely normal, says Blyverket.
The Public Health Report will now be considered by the Health and Care Committee. The recommendation will probably be issued before the summer, including the vote in the Storting. According to Blyverket, the train to regulation has not yet started.
— The Conservative Party, the Labor Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Center Party have already opened up to the age restriction, which Consumer Council polls show three out of four Norwegians support. We therefore trust that the Storting will take these concerns seriously and introduce a 16-year age limit for the sale of energy drinks. In this way, they can ensure a slowdown in the development of consumption among our children and youth – says Blyverket.
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Source: Consumer Council
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