Jamie Oliver told British MPs that there should be age restriction on energy drinks just like cigarettes and alcohol. The chef said he got shocked when he came to know about the number of primary school children, who use to consume the drinks every day. The drinks can contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar.

The chef mentioned that it is the right time for ministers to consider radical action that includes a ban on sale of energy drinks to children under a certain age, and under which proper identification is required.

Oliver has also lobbied the government for the imposition of a sugar tax on fizzy drinks. He was asked to provide evidence to the health select committee on ways through which the scourge of childhood obesity can be tackled.

According to Oliver, it should be made mandatory for drink companies to tell state how much sugar is contained in each bottle in teaspoons, and not in grams, to make the amount clearer.

The chef said that one bottle of Ribena has 13 teaspoons of sugar, whereas it was 14 in a small Pepsi. Oliver added that sugary beverages should be considered as a rare treat. He added, “I’m not saying when you go to the cinema don’t buy your kids a drink, but I think we’ve normalized the consumption of sugary sweetened drinks at home”.

Furthermore, the chef said that no label is present there on energy drinks to tell parents that they are inappropriate for children. He mentioned that he himself has found ‘way too many of them’ in the packed lunches of primary pupils during his campaign work. He said that the teachers should be given permission to confiscate the drinks.