The British government has decided to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to all children under the age of 16 in England in a bid to protect their health and reduce problems related to obesity and mental well-being.
The new rules will come into force on April 2027 and will make it illegal to sell any drink containing more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per liter to persons under 16 years of age.
The ban will apply to all points of sale, including supermarkets, neighborhood stores, restaurants, cafes, online platforms, as well as vending machinesto avoid the possibility of minors buying through them.
Among the brands affected by the measure are: Red Bull, Monster, Relentless AND Prime Energywhile tea, coffee and soft drinks with lower caffeine content, such as Coca-Cola AND Pepsiare not included in the ban.
According to data from the British health authorities, one in three children in the United Kingdom consumes at least one energy drink every week. Some of these products contain amounts of caffeine equal to two cups of coffee OR four cans of cola.
The British Minister of Public Health, Sharon Hodgson, stated that drinks with a high caffeine content “they have no place in the hands of children“.
“They can cause anxiety, impair sleep and concentration, and negatively affect their results at school. This ban is an important step in protecting the health and well-being of children,” she said.
The decision follows a public consultation involving businesses, public health organizations and citizens, most of whom supported the age limit.
Although most large supermarkets in Britain had voluntarily banned the sale of these drinks to minors, the authorities found that many small shops continued to sell to children.
The implementation of the measure will be monitored by trading standards inspectors, and the ban is part of a wider package of reforms by the British government to improve children’s nutrition and limit the advertising of unhealthy foods.
What happens 24 hours after consuming an energy drink?
After 10 minutes, blood pressure and heart rate increase.
Within 15–45 minutes you feel more alert.
After about 50 minutes, the sugar is completely absorbed by the body. After 1 hour, an immediate drop in blood sugar levels may occur, while after 12 hours, caffeine withdrawal symptoms such as headache may occur.
Source: The Sun
