Energy drinks often contain high levels of caffeine and sugar, alongside taurine and other substances. What’s most concerning is that bright, bold, masculine branding often appeals to children and adolescents.
While long in the firing line from campaigners, more and more governments across Europe are taking firm action against the drinks: moving to ban sales to children.
The Czech government is set to ban the sale of energy drinks to children under 15 after a government vote this month, targeting high-sugar and high-caffeine beverages. The ban wants to create similar restrictions to buying alcohol and tobacco, requiring age verification when purchased. Schools will be completely prohibited from selling energy drinks.
A similar ban came into effect in Poland at the beginning of this year: but with it covering children up to 18 years old, with ID required to purchase energy drinks with caffeine (over 150mg) or taurine.
That mirrors sales bans in Lithuania and Latvia, which have had similar policies in place since 2016, as well as Turkey (since 2018).
UK election promise
In June, the UK’s Labour Party pledged it would ban the sale of energy drinks to U16s if it won the UK’s General Election. The Party came into power in July, but has not yet announced such a ban.
Health organizations have been calling for energy drinks bans for children for years (in fact, the UK had been due to ban sales of energy drinks to U16s in 2019, with around 90% of the population reported to be in favor, but this ban never came into effect).
As a result, there is currently no regulation on sales of energy drinks to children in the country. A number of major retailers have bought in policies prohibiting sales to U16s: however, that still leaves smaller stores and vending machines unregulated.
In January this year, more than 40 health organizations called on policy makers to restrict energy drink sales to children. Their push was accompanied by a review of 57 studies in the Public Health journal.
Energy drink research
The review of energy drink studies, published in the journal Public Health, found a ‘strong positive association’ between energy drink consumption and smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, other substance use and intentions to initiate those behaviors.
It also found associations with short sleep duration, poor sleep quality and low academic performance: as well as noting increased risk of suicide, psychological distress, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, depressive and panic behaviors, allergic diseases, insulin resistance and dental problems.
There’s similar momentum for a ban on energy drink sales to children in Denmark: where The Centre for Childhood Health, Danish Consumer Council and Danish Food Authority are all pushing for a ban on sales to children under 16.
Children’s health
Dr Kawther Hashem, Head of Research and Impact at Action on Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London, welcomes the growing efforts to ban energy drink sales to children across Europe - particularly among countries that have succeeded in introducing such bans.
“This decisive action reflects a growing recognition across Europe of the dangers posed by high-caffeine, high-sugar beverages on young people’s health,” she said.
“Energy drinks can contribute to unhealthy levels of caffeine and sugar intake, increasing the risks of obesity, heart issues, and poor mental health in children.”
The London-based organization is now urging the UK government take action.
“We now urge the UK government to follow suit and introduce a similar ban, ensuring that our children are protected from these harmful products. Labour did commit to banning energy drink sales to under-16s if elected, so we hope they will follow through on this promise. While most supermarkets have already implemented voluntary restrictions, many children still purchase these drinks from local convenience stores. A consistent, nationwide approach is essential for maximum impact.”
EFSA guidelines on energy drinks
Single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg (about 3 mg/kg bw for a 70-kg adult) do not give rise to safety concerns for the general population, according to a 2015 scientific opinion from EFSA. Habitual caffeine consumption up to 400 mg per day does not give rise to safety concerns for non-pregnant adults.
But the body refrained from setting a separate safe caffeine intake for children and adolescents: instead, it suggests using the same 3mg/kg approach for children.
"For children and adolescents, the information available is insufficient to derive a safe caffeine intake," said the agency. "The Panel considers that caffeine intakes of no concern derived for acute caffeine consumption by adults (3 mg/kg bw per day) may serve as a basis to derive single doses of caffeine and daily caffeine intakes of no concern for these population subgroups."
Canada, meanwhile, suggests a lower recommended daily intake limit of 2.5mg caffeine per kg of body weight for children and adolescents up to 18 years old.
While the push in the UK is to ban sales to U16, other researchers want to see this expanded to U18s - as in other European countries.
That’s primarily because it would align better with other restrictions, such as alcohol sales (where the age limit is 18 years old).
“By aligning the limits on the sale of energy drinks with the established legislation, it would provide a clear message to the public that these drinks are not suitable for adolescents and make law enforcement easier and more effective,” said Professor Christina Vogel, Director of the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London, back in June when Labour made its energy drink pledge.
Should energy drink sales be banned to children?
But UNESDA, Europe’s soft drinks trade body, is not convinced that bans are the way forward.
While the number of countries banning energy drink sales to children might be growing, there are still plenty that have not gone down this route.
Nicholas Hodac, director general of UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, said: “As the voice of the European soft drinks sector, UNESDA firmly stands against any proposal for an unjustifiable and discriminatory ban on energy drinks sales. These bans are not science-based, are never accompanied by robust scientific evidence and are not supported by several food safety authorities and regulators.’’
“Numerous bodies, including the UK Parliament House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency Committee on Toxicity, and the Scottish Government, have all determined that there is a lack of evidence justifying an age ban on energy drinks. Regulators in Norway and Sweden have also come to similar conclusions’’
Furthermore, the body believes that the energy drink sector is not what health campaigners should be worried about: particularly with the popularity of sweet iced coffee drinks that are finding favor among teenagers.
“The best available data from European risk assessors shows that about 90 percent of all caffeine consumed by adolescents in the UK (10-18 years old) comes from sources other than energy drinks (such as chocolate and tea).”
The organisation also points to both mandatory and voluntary initiatives already in place across Europe.
The EU Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 contains provisions regarding the labelling of beverages with an added caffeine content of more than 150mg/liter.
Such drinks must include the following statement: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women”, with a quantitative indication of the product’s caffeine content.
In addition to this, UNESDA members pledge that no marketing communications will be placed in any media with an audience where more than 30% is under 13 years old.
UNESDA and its members are also committed to ensuring that samplings of energy drinks will not be conducted in the close proximity of primary and secondary schools or other institutions taking care of this age group.
