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SOME ENERGY DRINKS contain up to 17 spoons of sugar and twice as much caffeine as an espresso, according to a new report.
A survey carried out by Safefood found that, overall, energy drinks manufacturers have reduced the sugar content in their products in response to the introduction of the Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax in 2018.
However, there has been an increase in the proportion of drinks being sold in bigger serving sizes.
The tax was introduced in a bid to tackle obesity levels in Ireland.
The research found that the average sugar content per serving of energy drinks has fallen by approximately two teaspoons of sugar – down from 31g in 2015 to 23g in 2019.
Of the three leading energy drink brands – Lucozade, Red Bull and Monster – who have a combined market share of 80%, there was a reduction in the sugar content of the market leader (Lucozade) but no reduction in the sugar content of the other two.
The report notes that before the introduction of the sugar tax, 74% of energy drinks in the Irish market would have been eligible for taxation – that is, containing at least 5g of sugar per 100ml. The 2019 research shows that only 41% are now eligible for taxation.
The snapshot survey was carried out by Safefood in April. It identified an increase in the number of energy drink products for sale (up from 39 to 42) with a large increase in drinks sold in 500ml servings (eight in 2015 versus 16 in 2019), and no change in the number of drinks sold in 250ml servings.
Commenting on the report, Minister for Health Simon Harris welcomed the “significant reduction in sugar content in many products” following the introduction of the sugar tax. However, he said it is “disappointing that some of these manufacturers have not responded appropriately”.
Many of these products are still high in sugar and I strongly urge retailers and manufacturers to consider further measures to reduce the sugar content of their products. I am also very concerned at the trend in increasing container sizes.
Harris called on children, young people and their parents “to be aware that these drinks are still unsuitable for consumption by them”.
The latest market research, carried out by Euromonitor International, shows that between 2015 and 2018 there was a 3.4% increase in the volume of energy drinks sold in off-trade environments – ie supermarkets, convenience stores and discounters – in Ireland, and this now totals 26.7 million litres.
This is the equivalent of every man, woman and child drinking 5.5 litres of energy drinks every year and puts Ireland near the very top of energy drink consumption relative to other countries in the EU.
Marketed to young people
Speaking about the survey’s findings, Dr Marian O’Reilly, Chief Specialist in Nutrition at Safefood, noted that sugary drinks are “linked with poor dental health and excess weight”.
It’s a concern that they are cheap, readily available, in large containers and are marketed in a way that is appealing to young people.
O’Reilly described the fall in the average sugar content of these products as encouraging but said the increase in caffeine content is concerning.
“These drinks are not suitable for children and we would encourage those aged over 16 to consider energy drinks as an occasional drink due to the often-high sugar and caffeine content,” she added.
A number of retailers in Ireland have banned the sale of energy drinks to children under the age of 16. Drink products with caffeine contents greater than 150 mg per litre are required to be labelled ‘high caffeine content’ and the amount of caffeine present must be stated.
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How about they post details of how much money donated actually reaches the victims before they go blaming the donors. Food supplies entering black Market, stealing, local corruption, lack of accountability? Don’t blame me if you want to get another donation, you are a professional charity, it’s your failure to communicate and react to the situation.
Economic issues matter more than human life. It is a shame that famine gets ignored because there is an over abundance of food in this world and yet we can’t share it. The idea that governments running these country’s that are famine hit are keeping funding and food supplies is also sickening. Something needs to be done but if governments stop aid from getting to the people that need it, then UN should be the ones policing this yet they seem to be unresponsive as they do not want conflict even though it means saving lives.
“I want proof”, in another words “I know well its happening, I just want to relieve myself of the guilt of it by pretending I think its not happening”
Foreign aid is killing Africa, a number of African economists have written about it. The West is failing to grasp that the intuitive thing to do doesn’t always solve a problem.
2012…and this is still happening,all the charities are doing thier best but still not enough…were do we go from here…is heartbreaking to see a human like this…
A lot of this is due in no small part to the IMF, this is the style their help comes in. Too many of the African countries that received or were put in a position to accept such loans had to face severe austerity or hand over rights to mineral or other national resources to the IMF and global corporations. Slowly stripping these countries with even the means to finance the ability to repay its loans.
Sounds familiar today doesn’t it?
The value of human life is shocking. They shipped my cousin with an automatic weapon on his back to Afghanistan in a heart beat (unfortunately he was happy to go) but mobilize to help starving children. use a super power to cut out the corruption, the back handers and get the food directly to those who need it and help them actually build their country properly…………not today pal. John Pilger made a great documentary in which he stated that in the 85-86 after live aid Africa gave more cash to the west than we gave them. I think bono would have more success for his cause if he organised mass protests in front of world bank and IMF head quarters instead of throwing a gig.
incredible that the wikipedia story gets more views than this
@ Harry I agree but I think people bury their head in the sand when it comes to these types of stories and particularly with that heart wrenching picture of the (probably now deceased) child. Its just mind boggling how one half of the world is up to its eyeballs in an obesity epidemic but these poor people are left to waste and die.
The western governments, huge private companies (is there a difference?) and the animals the west uses to control and rape these countries of there natural resources are completely responsible.
I am so sorry but I can not read this or look at the pictures .Too horrific . I can donate to charities …. Was it lways so bad through the decades and centuries in these places ?? Or is this an historically recent phenonomon ? I am sorry if I am displaying ignorance,I do not want to offend anyone.
Charities really just don’t cut it when it comes to issues on this scale, yet the members of the government don’t need to worry about someone dying if it’s not in their family.
It also doesn’t help that there are 10 different charities with the same goal. Can’t see why they don’t just amalgamate into one, would save costs on admin and other stuff too.
How the western nations attempts at a painfree solution to the crisis of their own making is crippling developing nations.
http://economichorizon.blogspot.com/2010/11/sound-dollar.html
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