England to ban sale of high‑caffeine energy drinks to under‑16s

The government announced on Wednesday that it will ban the sale of high‑caffeine energy drinks to anyone under 16, making it illegal from January to sell products containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to minors.

The measure will apply across retail environments, including shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online sales. Lower‑caffeine soft drinks such as Coca‑Cola, Coca‑Cola Zero, Diet Coke and Pepsi, as well as tea and coffee, are not affected. Major energy brands including Red Bull, Monster, Relentless and Prime would breach the limit and be subject to the new restriction.

Ministers said the ban is intended to tackle obesity and improve concentration in schools by cutting young people’s access to drinks that can disrupt sleep and increase anxiety. The government estimates that around 100,000 children consume at least one high‑caffeine energy drink every day and suggested the measure could help prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children.

Retailers in many parts of the country have already introduced voluntary age restrictions on energy drink sales. Campaigners and health experts have long argued that aggressive marketing and the low price of some energy drinks — with some cans available for as little as 50p and cheaper than bottled water — have made them widely accessible to children.

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, welcomed the move, saying, “High‑caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands.” She and other public‑health groups have pointed to links between energy‑drink consumption and disrupted sleep, reduced concentration at school, heightened anxiety and poorer mental‑health outcomes in young people.

Health specialists caution that the stimulant effects of high doses of caffeine can be particularly pronounced in children and adolescents because of their smaller body size and developing nervous systems. Reported short‑term effects include jitteriness, rapid heartbeat and difficulty sleeping, which can carry over into daytime tiredness and impaired attention. Regulators and clinicians have also raised concerns about frequent consumption contributing to weight gain when drinks contain high levels of sugar.

Government officials said the policy is part of a wider strategy to improve children’s health and educational attainment. The announcement did not detail enforcement mechanisms or penalties for noncompliant sellers, but officials said the ban will be legally binding once it comes into force in January.

Supermarket chains and convenience stores will be required to check customers’ ages for qualifying products, and online retailers will need systems to prevent sales to under‑16s. Industry groups have previously argued for clear guidance to ensure consistent enforcement and to avoid accidental sales to age‑restricted consumers.

The policy follows growing international scrutiny of energy‑drink marketing aimed at young people and a patchwork of local restrictions and voluntary retailer policies in recent years. Public‑health campaigners said a statutory age limit will close loopholes left by voluntary measures and reduce children’s exposure to high‑caffeine products in everyday settings.

Manufacturers of energy drinks and some retailers have not yet outlined how they will respond to the new limit. Some companies may reformulate products to reduce caffeine content below the 150mg per litre threshold, while others could focus sales on adult consumers.

The government said it will monitor the impact of the ban on children’s health and school performance after implementation. Health campaigners called for further measures to address the wider marketing and availability of sugary and highly caffeinated products to young people.