Wellington, Feb 18 NZPA - The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a Green Party complaint about the way Demon Energy Drink's website used images and language to market drinks to children, MP Sue Kedgley said today.

Ms Kedgley said the authority found Demon's website encouraged the purchase of high caffeine and sugar drink products that were inappropriate for children, and that the advertising did not observe the high standard of social responsibility required.

"This decision sends a message to advertisers that there is a limit to the way they can deliberately target children to try to hook them on their products," she said.

"The aggressive advertising tactics being used by companies like Demon were encouraging a generation of kids to become addicted to high caffeine energy drinks."

Ms Kedgley said caffeine was addictive and children were particularly susceptible to its effects.

"A can of energy drink consumed by a child is the equivalent of two or three cups of coffee drunk by an adult," she said.

"Due to childrens' smaller body weight, the effect of the caffeine hit is even more pronounced."

The authority decision was released today.