The British Dental Association (BDA) has applauded the proposed ban on sales of high caffeine energy drinks to under-16s. This proposal was first made in the Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto in the run-up to the general election, and was also an idea the previous Conservative government showed intent to act upon.
The proposed ban stems from concerns over health impacts on children, such as sleep problems, anxiety, and poor academic performance, and aligns with overwhelming public support and existing voluntary bans by most major UK supermarkets. The proposed legislation would target drinks with over 150mg of caffeine per litre, such as Monster Energy, while not affecting lower-caffeine soft drinks like Coca-Cola.
The BDA stresses there is real scope for gains in oral health given the high sugar content in some products, and that even the zero/low sugar versions have an erosive impact on teeth due to high levels of acidity. The professional body says government should go further and faster to tackle the catastrophic impact of unhealthy food and drink on children’s health, with mandatory guidelines for industry and expansion of the sugar levy, especially since tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children.
British Dental Association Chair Eddie Crouch said: “Products that are habit forming, highly acidic and can contain over 20 teaspoons of sugar have no place on the menu for children. Our kids are growing up in a toxic food environment, and this boldness needs to be applied across the piece.”
It is though the move could also prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and deliver health benefits worth tens of millions of pounds.
Katharine Jenner, Director, Obesity Health Alliance, said: “High-caffeine energy drinks have no place in children’s hands. We fully support the government’s proposal to ban sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s. This is a common-sense, evidence-based step to protect children’s physical, mental, and dental health.
“Age-of-sale policies like this have a proven record of reducing access to products that are not suitable for children, and will help create an environment that supports healthier choices for future generations.”
Dr Kawther Hashem, Head of Research and Impact at Action on Sugar, Queen Mary University of London, said: “We strongly welcome the government’s consultation on an age-of-sale ban for high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s. These drinks are unnecessary, harmful, and should never have been so easily available to children.
“The free sugars in these products increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay, while the high caffeine content can harm young people’s mental health and wellbeing. By ensuring the ban applies across vending machines and convenience stores, the government has the chance to close loopholes and make this policy effective.
“This is an important step in protecting children’s health, particularly those in more deprived communities who face the highest risk of diet-related illness. But success will ultimately depend on proper enforcement so that this ban delivers the safeguarding children urgently need.”
Around 100,000 children consume at least one high caffeine energy drink every day.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “How can we expect children to do well at school if they have the equivalent of a double espresso in their system on a daily basis? Energy drinks might seem harmless, but the sleep, concentration and wellbeing of today’s kids are all being impacted, while high sugar versions damage their teeth and contribute to obesity.
“As part of our Plan for Change and shift from treatment to prevention, we’re acting on the concerns of parents and teachers and tackling the root causes of poor health and educational attainment head on. By preventing shops from selling these drinks to kids, we’re helping build the foundations for healthier and happier generations to come.”
Research highlights that up to one third of children aged 13 to 16 years, and nearly a quarter of children aged 11 to 12 years consume one or more of these drinks each week, so early intervention is crucial if we are to deliver on our pledge to create the healthiest generation of children ever.
This is backed by parents, teachers and teaching unions who report on pupils being unable to concentrate and focus and even negatively affecting grades and academic performance. Evidence also shows that children from more deprived communities are more likely to consume these products – further contributing to health inequalities across the country.
Acting now to improve children’s wellbeing will not only help give them the best start in life and prevent them from a lifetime of poor health but also deliver tens of millions of pounds of health benefits as well as future savings for the NHS and increased economic productivity.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Through our Plan for Change, we are determined to give every child the opportunities they deserve and the best start in life.
“This government inherited a scourge of poor classroom behaviour that undermines the learning of too many children – partly driven by the harmful effects of caffeine loaded drinks – and today’s announcement is another step forward in addressing that legacy.
“It goes hand-in-hand with our work to address the root causes of poor behaviour with targeted support to hundreds of struggling schools, access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and updated school food standards so children have access to healthy food and drink options during the school day.”
