A Maidstone shopkeeper has decided to ban the sale of energy drinks to children.

Kent News in King Street and Newsline in Week Street now have signs up advising customers it will no longer sell the caffeine-packed drinks to under-16s.

Jahangir Alam, who manages the shops, said he made the decision due to health concerns.

He said: “We wanted to discourage kids from coming in buying them, although it is not a legally binding rule. We have had a lot of parents come in and say what a good idea it is.”

It comes after calls from health groups for a blanket ban on shops selling the products to youngsters.

Watch: Should high-caffeine energy drinks be sold to under 16s?

The drinks are no longer sold in schools, and Morrisons supermarket has recently finished a trial where it banned selling drinks like Red Bull and Monster to under-16s.

Health campaign group Action on Sugar has also called for the drinks to be banned, with some found to contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar.

There are no legal restrictions on the sale of energy drinks, but those with 150mg of caffeine of more per litre have to include a warning label that they are not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women.

A cup of filter coffee typically includes 100mg of caffeine.

The British Soft Drink Association (BSDA) has issued guidance that the beverages are not recommended to be promoted or marketed to children.

A BSDA spokesman said: “Latest reviews of the scientific evidence suggest that children can be more susceptible to the stimulant effects of caffeine than adults because of their lower body mass and because, unlike many adults, they are not used to it on a regular basis.

“On a precautionary basis, therefore, the soft drinks industry suggests that high caffeine content soft drinks should not be consumed by children.

"However, this does not mean that the drinks are unsafe, and we firmly believe parents should decide what is right for their families.”

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