The government is planning a law in England to bar anyone under the age of 16 from buying energy drinks. This would mean that anyone buying drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, and Prime from either a shop or restaurant may need to show ID.
Around a third of children in the UK are believed to consume energy drinks weekly, despite some supermarkets introducing a voluntary ban. Some of the more popular options can contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee.
Health & Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says he was responding to parents’ concerns, as well as those of teachers. Tackling this “head on” is in a bid to improve the health of young people. Soft drinks with less caffeine, including Diet Coke, would not be affected, nor would coffee or tea.
A 12-week consultation will run to gather evidence from experts in health and education, as well as retailers, drink manufacturers, and the public.
Excessive consumption of energy drinks is linked to headaches or sleep problems. Too much caffeine can cause rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, and even seizures in some cases. While rare, excess caffeine has been linked to some deaths.
Current labelling laws require any drink, except tea or coffee, with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to carry a warning label that reads: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women.”
Experts say that young people with developing brains and smaller bodies can be more sensitive to caffeine. For the majority of adults, no more than 400mg a day, equivalent to around four cups of instant coffee or five cups of tea, is considered a safe amount.
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