The UK government has launched a proposal to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16, targeting beverages with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre.
Initially proposed in last year’s Labour Party Manifesto, the move forms part of its Plan for Change, aimed at improving children’s physical and mental health, sleep quality and educational performance.
According to government officials, the ban is projected to prevent obesity in up to 40,000 young people and could deliver health benefits worth tens of millions of pounds.
Current estimates suggest that approximately 100,000 children consume at least one high-caffeine energy drink daily, with up to a third of teenagers aged 13 to 16 and a quarter of children aged 11 to 12 drinking at least one a week.
The UK energy drinks market was valued at nearly US$4.8bn in 2024 and is projected to reach US$6.9bn by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
The consultation, launched on 2 September 2025, will run for 12 weeks, inviting input from retailers, manufacturers, enforcement bodies and the public.
UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said the policy would protect a generation of children from harmful health effects. “You can see the impact on the health, concentration and the learning, and that is why we are acting,” he told the BBC.
He revealed that eight out of 10 parents want to see a ban, and teachers also see the impact on pupils’ concentration and behaviour.
Impact on energy-drink companies
If the ban goes ahead, energy‑drink manufacturers, including major brands like Red Bull, Monster and Prime, will face significant changes.
Drinks above the caffeine threshold will need to be reformulated or could no longer be sold to under-16s through shops, cafes, vending machines or online channels. While supermarkets voluntarily stopped selling the drinks to under-16s in 2018, the new regulation would impose a level playing field across all outlets.
Industry trade groups argue they already engage in responsible marketing. The British Soft Drinks Association has stated its members label high‑caffeine drinks as “not suitable for children” and avoid promoting them to under‑16s.
Gavin Partington, the director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said in a statement, “Our members have led the way in self-regulation through our longstanding energy drinks code of practice.”