ACS has responded to an announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care confirming that a mandatory ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s is expected to come into force in England next April, urging the Government to focus on communicating the changes effectively to both customers and retailers.

Under the proposals first announced in Labour's Manifesto in 2024, drinks that contain more than 150mg of caffeine per litre will be illegal for sale to anyone aged under 16. Tea, coffee and lower caffeine soft drinks are not set to be affected by the ban.

In November 2025, ACS responded to the Government's consultation on the ban of energy drinks to under-16s in England, highlighting the need for a longer implementation period to ensure that retailers and customers are prepared for the change, allow enforcement authorities to plan their activity around compliance, and for retailers to train staff on the new policies required.

ACS polling of independent retailers in 2022 showed that four in five already have some form of voluntary policy in place to restrict the sale of energy drinks to young people. High caffeine soft drinks are currently labelled as ‘not recommended for children’.

ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: "Local shops have a strong track record of managing age restricted products and they will apply the same dilligence to preventing under 16s accessing energy drinks by formalising existing voluntary committements. 

"Local shops need time to prepare for this new statutory ban and we urge the government to give business more notice to deliver additional training for staff, signage in store and conversations with customers. It is essential that the Government invests in clear guidance for retailers who will be the ones enforcing the law on a daily basis."

ACS works with Surrey and Bucks Trading Standards through one of the UK’s leading primary authority partnerships to provide Assured Advice on age restricted sales, along with other areas of regulation, to convenience retailers. ACS recommends the use of Challenge25 policies to help reduce the potential for confrontation when enforcing the law on the sale of age restricted products.