Energy Drinks Ban 2027: What Parents and Retailers Should Know

What was announced, and why

The Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education confirmed on 16 July 2026 that the government will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England. The ban will apply to drinks, other than tea or coffee, containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, and covers sales in shops, vending machines and online, though sales between businesses are excluded.

The decision follows a consultation that ran from 3 September to 26 November 2025 and received 1,095 responses from businesses, public health organisations, enforcement bodies and members of the public, with strong support for an age restriction. The government says around 100,000 children in England drink high-caffeine energy drinks every day, and that children in more deprived areas and households are more likely to consume them.

What it means for parents and children

The government's rationale centres on evidence linking high-caffeine energy drinks to anxiety, sleep disruption, reduced concentration and harm to children's education, as well as physical health effects including tooth decay and an increased risk of high blood pressure. Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said the drinks have no place in children's hands and that the ban is intended to reduce children's ability to buy products that are harmful to their health and wellbeing.

For parents, the ban does not change anything immediately: it is not due to take effect until April 2027 and still needs secondary legislation and Parliamentary approval. Once in force, shops, vending machines and websites will need to stop selling qualifying high-caffeine drinks to anyone under 16, in the same way that age verification already applies to products such as alcohol, tobacco and vapes.

What it means for retailers

Responsibility for compliance sits with retailers, who will need to ensure high-caffeine energy drinks are not sold to under-16s once the ban takes effect, with local authorities responsible for enforcement. Businesses that break the law face fines of up to £2,500, and the government intends to introduce the change as secondary legislation using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990.

Shops that already operate Challenge 25 or similar age-verification policies for products such as vapes and alcohol are likely to find the practical requirements familiar, though staff training and till-prompt systems will need to be updated to cover energy drinks specifically once the legislation is finalised. Business-to-business sales, such as wholesale supply to other retailers, fall outside the scope of the ban.

How this fits with other child health measures

The energy drinks ban is one part of a wider set of measures the government says are aimed at improving children's health and tackling childhood obesity. The same announcement references an extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, the introduction of supervised toothbrushing for 3 to 5-year-olds in the most deprived communities to protect against tooth decay, and restrictions on where less healthy food can be placed in shops, including limits on volume price promotions and advertising in places children are likely to see them.

Campaign groups, including the Obesity Health Alliance and the Children's Food Campaign, welcomed the decision, noting that the policy was first pledged around two years ago and that, in the intervening period, close to 300 million more high-caffeine energy drinks have been sold to children.

What happens next

The ban is not yet law. The government needs to introduce secondary legislation using powers in the Food Safety Act 1990, which requires Parliamentary approval before the ban can take effect. The stated target is for the ban to come into force in April 2027.

Retailers and parents alike have almost a year before enforcement begins, giving businesses time to prepare age-verification processes and giving the government time to finalise the legislation. Further detail on enforcement guidance for retailers is expected to follow as the legislation progresses through Parliament.

Frequently asked questions

Is it currently illegal to sell energy drinks to under-16s?

No, not yet. The ban is confirmed as government policy but needs secondary legislation and Parliamentary approval before it takes effect in April 2027.

What counts as a high-caffeine energy drink under the ban?

Any drink, other than tea or coffee, containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre. This covers most mainstream energy drink brands sold in the UK.

What happens if a shop breaks the ban once it's in force?

Retailers are responsible for compliance, with local authorities enforcing the rules. Businesses that sell high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s face fines of up to £2,500.

Does the ban apply to online sales as well as shops?

Yes. It covers sales in shops, vending machines and online, though sales between businesses are excluded from the ban.

Is this the only child health measure the government announced?

No. It sits alongside an extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, supervised toothbrushing for 3 to 5-year-olds in deprived areas, and restrictions on promoting less healthy food in places children are likely to see it.