The Welsh government has confirmed its intention to ban the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in consultation documents released on Thursday (Nov 5).
The ban will apply to drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, excluding tea and coffee. Other caffeine-containing products that are not drinks, such as caffeine pouches and gums, are not currently intended to be included.
The restrictions would mirror those set to come into force in England in April 2027, although the Welsh government have clarified that there would be a six-month period from when regulations are finalised until the rules come into force.
The Welsh Government has confirmed that retailers would be given six months to prepare for the changes once the regulations have been finalised. The consultation will consider how the restrictions should be enforced, including age verification for online purchases, penalties for retailers breaching the rules and compliance monitoring.
Under the proposals, businesses could face fixed penalties of £1,500 or £2,500, depending on their size, for selling high-caffeine energy drinks to underage customers. The consultation is scheduled to close on 17th December, with no implementation date yet confirmed for Wales.
The Welsh proposals follow the UK Government’s confirmation in July that it intends to introduce a statutory ban on high-caffeine energy drink sales to under-16s in England from April 2027, subject to parliamentary approval.
The English restrictions will apply to physical stores, online retailers and vending machines, with local authorities responsible for enforcement. Businesses found breaching the English regulations could face fines of up to £2,500.
The Department of Health and Social Care estimates that approximately 100,000 children in England consume high-caffeine energy drinks every day, citing concerns about the potential impact on sleep, mental health and educational performance.
The latest Welsh proposals would replace existing voluntary retail policies with mandatory restrictions, creating a more consistent approach to age-restricted energy drink sales across England and Wales.