Energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England from April 2027

Children under 16 will no longer be able to buy high-caffeine energy drinks in England under new government rules.

Teenage boy reading beverage label while shopping in supermarket.

Getty/Svetlana Mishchenko

Published: July 20, 2026 at 11:17 AM

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Children under the age of 16 will no longer be able to buy high-caffeine energy drinks in England from April 2027, after the government confirms plans to introduce a nationwide ban.

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The new rules are designed to reduce children's access to drinks linked to poor sleep, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. They will apply to shops, vending machines and online retailers, with businesses facing fines of up to £2,500 if they break the law.

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The government says around 100,000 children in England currently drink high-caffeine energy drinks every day, with evidence suggesting regular consumption can affect both health and learning.

What is changing?

From April 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval, retailers in England will be banned from selling high-caffeine energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16.

The legislation will apply to drinks, excluding tea and coffee, that contain more than 150mg of caffeine per litre.

Retailers will be responsible for checking customers' ages, while local authorities will enforce the new rules.

Why is the ban being introduced?

The government says the decision follows growing evidence linking high-caffeine energy drinks to health and wellbeing concerns in children.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, regular consumption has been associated with anxiety, sleep disruption, reduced concentration and poorer educational outcomes.

The announcement follows a public consultation that received 1,095 responses from businesses, health organisations, enforcement bodies and members of the public, with strong support for introducing an age restriction.

What ministers are saying

Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said the ban is intended to better protect children's wellbeing.

"High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands. We know thousands of kids in England consume them daily but the evidence is clear that this can cause anxiety, affect their sleep and concentration and can have a detrimental impact on their education," she says. "This ban will reduce children’s opportunity to buy drinks that are harmful to their health and wellbeing, and demonstrates our firm commitment to creating the healthiest generation of children ever.’

High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands.

Sharon Hodgson, Public Health Minister

Education Minister Olivia Bailey also said the changes would support children's health both inside and outside the classroom.

"It will go hand in hand with our overhaul of school food for the first time in over a decade, to ensure children across the country have delicious, nutritious food that helps them thrive."

Health organisations welcome the move

Several health charities and campaign groups have welcomed the announcement.

Katharine Jenner, Executive Director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said the policy had widespread backing from parents and health professionals.

This is a hugely popular policy, backed by parents, health professionals and the public, and a vital step towards protecting children’s health.

Katharine Jenner, Executive Director of the Obesity Health Alliance

Jenner added that extending the restriction to shops, vending machines and online sales would create "a fair, consistent system for retailers and families."

Barbara Crowther, Children's Food Campaign Manager at Sustain, also welcomed the decision, saying there is "strong evidence" of the drinks' harmful effects on children's physical, mental and dental health.

What young people are saying

Campaign group Bite Back said young people have long been calling for tighter rules around energy drinks.

Carrera, a 19-year-old youth activist with Bite Back, said energy drinks had become "the social currency of the playground" and welcomed the government's decision.

They added: "It’s encouraging to know young people’s voices have helped get us here and I hope this is another important step towards creating healthier places where every young person can thrive."

What parents need to know

If the legislation is approved, from April 2027:

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The ban forms part of a wider package of government measures aimed at improving children's health, alongside changes to school food, restrictions on the promotion of less healthy foods and the expansion of supervised toothbrushing programmes for young children.

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