The Government has today published its response to the consultation on restricting the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children, marking a significant and necessary next step towards delivering a long-promised and popular policy.
The response confirms plans to introduce legislation preventing the sale of all drinks, except tea and coffee, containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to under-16s in England. The restrictions will apply across retail settings, including shops, vending machines and online sales (excluding business to business sales), with the Government intending for the ban to come into force in April 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval. There will be a minimum of six months implementation period before this date, with local authorities set to enforce the legislation.
Sharon Hodgson, Public Health and Prevention Minister, has been a long-standing advocate for the policy and issued a Written Ministerial Statement in the Commons today, just as Parliament breaks for summer recess. The full consultation response can be found here, summarising almost 1,100 responses with a staggering 90% supporting the policy, rising to 96% in those responding as individuals.
The announcement follows years of campaigning by health organisations and comes more than seven months after the consultation closed. Last month, a coalition of children’s health groups, led by Sustain, Jamie Oliver and the Obesity Health Alliance, wrote an open letter urging ministers to publish the response without further delay and ensure progress towards implementation.
The Obesity Health Alliance and members of the Energy Drinks Working Group have welcomed publication of the consultation response. If the Government is to meet its April 2027 implementation date, the legislation must be introduced as soon as Parliament returns from summer recess in September. This is a critical next step to avoid further delays and ensure these long-awaited protections for children are delivered on time. After years of delay, energy drinks manufacturers should see today as the start of their implementation window, and start making preparations with haste.
Responding to the announcement and quoted in the government’s press release, Katharine Jenner, Executive Director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said:
“This is a hugely popular policy, backed by parents, health professionals and the public, and a vital step towards protecting children’s health. Strong evidence links high-caffeine energy drinks to anxiety, poor sleep, reduced concentration and harm to learning and wellbeing – restricting sales to children at a vital time in their life is just common-sense.
“Children in more deprived communities are disproportionately affected. Extending the ban across shops, vending machines and online sales will create a fair, consistent system for retailers and families. After years of delay, the Government must now secure approval, support effective enforcement and ensure the ban starts promptly in April 2027.”