Aldi stops selling energy drinks to children up to 14 years

Children under 14 can no longer buy energy drinks from the Aldi supermarket chain from 1 October. This makes it the first channel in the Netherlands that limits the sale of soft drinks. Some British supermarkets decided years ago to stop selling energy drinks to children

Drinks have been under fire from doctors and nutritionists for years. They are full of sugar, caffeine and taurine. According to the Dutch Pediatric Society (NVK), adolescents sometimes drink six or more cans a day. According to the NVK, this leads to complaints such as agitation, fatigue and cardiac arrhythmia.

Prohibition

Earlier this year, pediatricians called for the ban on sales to children under 18 years of age. The nutrition center also said that drinks are unhealthy. State Secretary Blokhuis of Public Health then stated that he saw nothing in a sales ban. It places the responsibility first and foremost with parents, schools and sports canteens. Many schools no longer sell drinks.

"I am very happy that our appeal is taken seriously," says pediatrician Brita de Jong-van Kempen in the journal NOS Radio 1 Journaal . "I would like to ask Aldi to extend the age limit to 18 and hope that other supermarkets will follow."

Aldi says that with the ban on the sale of children until the age of 14, he wants to address the concerns of society. these drinks. With the age of 14, the chain follows the advice of the Nutrition Center. This states that children under 13 should not drink energy drinks and up to 18 years old, it should be limited to one drink a day. The group does not want to say how much Aldi is doing with the turnover.

Aldi's approach is also part of the campaign for Youth on Healthy Weight (JOGG), with the participation of the channel this year. This campaign aims to educate families with young children about the importance of healthy food.

Price hunters

Earlier, Lidl announced that they would stop selling cigarettes and now Aldi does so with energy drinks to young children. "We were not used to these price sellers, but apparently the time has come," says supermarket expert Paul Moers in the newspaper NOS Radio 1 Journaal . "They now have a good position in the Dutch market and can afford to show a socially responsible face."

But according to Moers, price hunters will remain true price fighters. "Aldi has 800 articles and Lidl 1300 and that will remain the case, all to be as efficient as possible and to keep the costs low Albert Heijn and Jumbo have about 35 000 items, which will remain so and it also means a different cost level . "