By Ian Neubauer
NSW councillors have passed a motion to ban the sale of energy drinks with high caffeine content to minors.
The motion was passed today (October 29) at the Local Government Association of NSW (LGSA) annual conference in Broken Hill, said LGSA media officer, Fay Daoud.
The motion was initiated by Holyrod councillor, Eddy Sarkis, who became concerned after hearing of a 10-year-old boy with attention deficit disorder who was temporarily hospitalised after purchasing and consuming a can of Coca-Cola’s Mother.
“Local Government will be leading the way for its local communities and helping to deliver a safer and healthier future for young people by supporting the proposal that drinks with extremely high caffeine content be regulated at the point of sale,” the LGSA said in the motion.
The LGSA will now request the Federal Government to pass legislation restricting the sale of energy drinks to minors in Australia.
If successful, it could have far-reaching implications for players within the lucrative energy drinks sector, including Suntory PLC, which last week forked out more than $1 billion for Frucor, makers of V, Australia’s leading energy drink.