High-caffeine energy drinks will be banned for under-16s in England to prevent harm to children's health, the Government has announced. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said the plan will make it illegal to sell energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to anyone under 16 across all retailers.
The ban covers shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online sales. High-caffeine energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Relentless and Prime would all breach the limit, while lower-caffeine soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Pepsi remain unaffected.
Major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons and Asda have already stopped sales of the drinks to youngsters voluntarily. However, the Department of Health said research suggests some smaller convenience stores are still selling them to children.
Health impact and statistics
According to ministers, the ban could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and will help prevent issues such as disrupted sleep, increased anxiety and lack of concentration, as well as poorer school results. Around 100,000 children are thought to consume at least one high-caffeine energy drink every day.
Up to one in three children aged 13 to 16, and nearly a quarter of children aged 11 to 12, consume one or more high-caffeine energy drink every week, according to the Department of Health.
Streeting said: "How can we expect children to do well at school if they have the equivalent of a double espresso in their system on a daily basis? Energy drinks might seem harmless, but the sleep, concentration and wellbeing of today's kids are all being impacted while high sugar versions damage their teeth and contribute to obesity."
Government consultation and industry response
A newly-launched consultation will now run for 12 weeks to gather evidence from experts in health and education as well as retailers, manufacturers, local enforcement leaders and the public. Drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre must already carry warning labels stating they are not recommended for children.
Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said firms do not market or promote the drinks to under-16s. He added: "Our members have led the way in self-regulation through our long-standing energy drinks code of practice. As with all Government policy, it's essential that any forthcoming regulation is based on a rigorous assessment of the evidence that's available."
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said the majority of convenience stores already have a voluntary age restriction in place on energy drinks and will welcome the clarity of regulation.
Education and expert support
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "This Government inherited a scourge of poor classroom behaviour that undermines the learning of too many children - partly driven by the harmful effects of caffeine-loaded drinks - and today's announcement is another step forward in addressing that legacy."
Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "Paediatricians are very clear that children or teenagers do not need energy drinks. Young people get their energy from sleep, a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise and meaningful connection with family and friends."
Multiple health experts welcomed the move, with Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz from the Faculty of Public Health noting that mounting evidence shows high-caffeine energy drinks are particularly damaging to children from deprived communities. A representative from youth-led group Bite Back described energy drinks as having become "the social currency of the playground - cheap, brightly packaged, and easier to buy than water."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
