High-caffeine energy drinks to be banned for sale to under-16s

Health organisations say the measure will help protect children's physical and mental health, while the soft drinks industry questions the need for new legislation

The sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 in England will be banned from April 2027.

The ban, which is subject to Parliamentary approval, will apply to drinks containing over 150mg of caffeine per litre and covers sales in shops and vending machines, and online. It will be enforced by local authorities, but retailers will be responsible for ensuring energy drinks are not sold to under-16s. Those that contravene the ban will face a fine of £2,500.

Energy drinks are not recommended for children, yet research from Tees University found around 100,000 children consume at least one high caffeine energy drink every day, with those living in more deprived areas more likely to drink them.

It also found the drinks increased the frequency of headaches; caused irritation, tiredness and stomach aches; reduced sleep duration and quality; and increased risk of stress, anxiety and depression.

Sharon Hodgson, Public Health Minister, said, “High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands. We know thousands of kids in England consume them daily but the evidence is clear that this can cause anxiety, affect their sleep and concentration and can have a detrimental impact on their education.”

Hodgson said the ban will “reduce children’s opportunity to buy drinks that are harmful to their health and wellbeing and demonstrates our firm commitment to creating the healthiest generation of children ever.”

Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the ban was “an important step towards improving children’s oral health. These drinks are often extremely high in sugar, which increases the risk of tooth decay, and reducing children’s access to them will help protect their teeth and support healthier habits from an early age.”  

“This is a hugely popular policy, backed by parents, health professionals and the public, and a vital step towards protecting children’s health…”

Katharine Jenner, Executive Director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “This is a hugely popular policy, backed by parents, health professionals and the public, and a vital step towards protecting children’s health… Restricting sales to children at a vital time in their life is just common sense.”

Jenner added that extending the ban across shops, vending machines and online sales “will create a fair, consistent system for retailers and families.”

Barbara Crowther, Children’s Food Campaign Manager at Sustain, said the ban “is absolutely right.” She added: “It’s now two years since the Labour government pledged this action - almost 300 million more high-caffeine energy drinks have been sold to children in that time.”

However, a spokesperson for the British Soft Drinks Association called the ban “unnecessary.” They said: “BSDA members have led the way in responsible retailing through the Association’s long-standing voluntary Code of Practice.

“Since 2010, our members have committed not to market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s, and all high-caffeine beverages carry a ‘not recommended for children’ label. The available evidence shows that the vast majority of caffeine consumed by children and adolescents comes from sources other than energy drinks.”

The BSDA added that “regulation should be proportionate and based on firm evidence,” and that they “will continue to make that case as government develops the detail of implementation.”