The UK government is set to introduce new legislation in England that will prohibit the sale of energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and Prime Energy to anyone under the age of 16. The ban will cover purchases from shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines, and online platforms as part of a wider effort to reduce childhood obesity and address related issues such as anxiety and disrupted sleep.
Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance and supporter of the ban, stated, “High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands. This is a common-sense, evidence-based step to protect children’s physical, mental, and dental health.”
Government ministers say the ban could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and help reduce problems like poor concentration, increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, and declining school performance.
The proposed restrictions will apply only to high-caffeine energy drinks. Lower-caffeine soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, and Pepsi, as well as tea and coffee, will not be affected.
For comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 80 to 100 mg of caffeine, tea around 40 mg, and a 330 ml can of Coca-Cola about 33 mg. In contrast, a 250 ml can of Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine, while a 500 ml can of Monster contains 160 mg.
Professor Amelia Lake of Teesside University, who has researched the impact of these drinks on young people, said, “They have no place in the diets of children. While these drinks are embedded in youth culture—associated with sports, gaming, and music—there is little clear messaging on their health risks.”
Major supermarkets have already imposed voluntary bans on selling high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s, but smaller stores often lack such policies.
Gavin Partington of the British Soft Drinks Association noted that its members follow a voluntary code to avoid promoting energy drinks to under-16s and label all high-caffeine beverages as “not recommended for children.”
Over the next 12 weeks, the government will gather input from health and education experts, the public, retailers, and drink manufacturers to inform the policy.
