Costa Coffee, the world’s second largest coffee chain, has introduced a controversial policy allowing stores to refuse drinks to anyone under the age of 16. A spokesperson for the company said that Costa “does not encourage the sale of caffeine to children.”
Children are not banned outright from ordering caffeinated drinks — the decision to serve young people is at the discretion of the store management, according to Costa. The policy was established in late summer but no one challenged it until November when a 12-year-old in Conwy, North Wales was refused an iced coffee.
The spokesperson noted that Costa’s “advertising is not directed at children and you must be at least 16 to own a Costa Club Card.”
A Canadian survey published in January found that more than half of those aged 12 to 24 experienced adverse side effects from caffeinated drinks.