Children aged under 16 will be banned from buying high-caffeine energy drinks amid fears that they are contributing to poor physical and mental health and declining performance at school.
The government proposals will make it illegal to sell high-caffeine energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to anyone under 16 in England. The ban will apply across all retailers, including online, in shops, restaurants, cafes and vending machines.
However, under-16s will still be able to buy lower-caffeine soft drinks, tea and coffee.
The policy was first proposed in Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto, when Health Secretary Wes Streeting promised it would create “healthier and happier generations” in the future.
The Department of Health said the plans could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and deliver health benefits worth tens of millions of pounds.
As many as 100,000 children consume at least one high caffeine energy drink every day.
Research suggests up to one third of children aged 13 to 16 years, and nearly a quarter of children aged 11 to 12 years, consume one or more of these drinks each week.
The Government said there was growing evidence linking them to harmful effects on children, including disrupted sleep, increased anxiety, poor concentration and reduced educational outcomes.
Those that contained high amounts of sugar were also contributing to rising rates of obesity in youngsters.
Some of the most popular energy drink brands contain more than double the proposed new threshold of 150mg per litre: a 500ml can of Monster contains 160mg, or 320mg per litre.
Red Bull, Relentless and Lucozade Alert contain 320mg per litre, while Prime Energy has even more, with around 424mg of caffeine per litre.
Other soft drinks brands, which are not marketed as energy drinks, come underneath the 150mg per litre threshold: Coke is 97mg per litre, while Diet Coke is 139mg. Pepsi is 99mg and Pepsi Max 127mg.
Many major retailers already voluntarily restrict sales, but research suggests some smaller convenience stores continue selling to children.
The Government will consult for 12 weeks on the plans, and will invite evidence from health experts, education leaders, retailers, manufacturers, local enforcement authorities and the public.
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.”
Teachers and unions have reported that pupils who consume high-caffeine drinks are unable to concentrate, and have lower academic performance.
There is also evidence that children from more deprived communities are more likely to consume these products – further contributing to health inequalities across the country.
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.”
The measures are part of a wider shift by ministers to improve children’s health, with a bigger emphasis on prevention.
This includes supervised tooth-brushing for three to five-year-olds and more funding for free breakfast clubs.
The ‘social currency of the playground’
Anti-junk food campaign groups such as Bite Back welcomed the measure but called on the Government to go further.
Carrera, a Bite Back activist from Milton Keynes, said: “Energy drinks have become the social currency of the playground – cheap, brightly packaged, and easier to buy than water. They’re aggressively marketed to us, especially online, despite serious health risks.
“We feel pressured to drink them, especially during exam season, when stress is high and healthier options are hard to find. This ban is a step in the right direction – but bold action on marketing and access must follow.”
Lauren Morley from Worthing, East Sussex, who works with young people and schools on nutrition and mental health, and is also the mother of a six-year-old, said: “In schools, I’ve witnessed panic attacks, anxiety and poor focus, often after students consume multiple cans instead of breakfast.”
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A review of 57 studies in the journal Public Health last year, which covered more than 1.2m children and young people, reported a link between consumption of energy drinks and increased frequency of headaches, irritation, tiredness and stomach aches, as well as an increased risk of emotional difficulties such as stress, anxiety and depression.
A Department for Education survey last year found that 82 per cent of parents were concerned about the potential negative effects of children consuming high-caffeine energy drinks. While 61 per cent of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the consumption of these drinks negatively impacts the health and well-being of pupils at their school.
Dr Sarah Jacques, GP co-lead at Doctors’ Association UK and a GP in south-east England, said she “strongly welcomed” the ban.
She told The i Paper: “Every week in my practice I see the impact that poor sleep, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating has on young people’s health and education. The evidence linking these drinks to those problems is compelling, and the scale of use among children is deeply concerning.
“This is not about restricting choice, but about safeguarding children from products that are marketed aggressively and consumed widely despite well-documented risks.”
When Labour announced the policy in November 2024, Gavin Partington, the director general of the British Soft Drinks Association said: “In line with and in the spirit of our own longstanding Code of Practice, BSDA members do not market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under 16s and label all high-caffeine beverages as ‘not recommended for children’, so we welcomed the move by retailers to voluntarily restrict sales to under 16s.”
The manufacturers of Red Bull, Prime and Monster were contacted for comment.
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