It has been more than two years since the now Government announced plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children. Keir Starmer announced the Labour party’s policy to ban energy drinks to under 16s on June 11 2024, if they won the election. Yet despite that commitment, no legislation has been introduced and these products remain readily available in shops across the country.

For teachers, this is not just a missed deadline. It is an issue they are dealing with every day in classrooms.
Our research shows that excessive consumption of energy drinks is currently the single biggest substance-related concern reported by teachers and school leaders, outweighing concerns about cannabis, alcohol and other harmful substances.

The findings, drawn from almost 4,000 teachers and school leaders who responded to our 2025 Behaviour in Schools survey, paint a concerning picture. More than seven in ten respondents (71%) are worried about pupils consuming energy drinks in school, with a similar proportion (70%) concerned about their use outside school.

Among secondary teachers, the concern is even greater. Eighty-five per cent reported that they are worried about pupils consuming energy drinks during the school day.

More than seven hundred days after ministers promised action, teachers are still seeing pupils arrive at school with energy drinks. This leaves them managing the impact on behaviour in lessons and trying to enforce local bans without consistent national backing.

A problem that teachers cannot ignore

For many schools, energy drinks have become a routine behavioural challenge rather than an occasional issue.

Unlike many other substances that concern teachers, energy drinks remain widely available. They can be bought from supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations, despite European guidance stating that they are not recommended for children.

Although many major retailers introduced a voluntary ban on sales to under-16s in 2018, there is still no legal restriction preventing children from purchasing these products elsewhere. Teachers are seeing the consequences first-hand.

If ministers needed a wake-up call, one primary school teacher reported that children regularly arrive at school already drinking energy drinks. Given that primary-aged pupils are 11 years old and under, this raises serious concerns about both children's health and their readiness to learn.

More than just another soft drink

Energy drinks are fundamentally different from standard fizzy drinks.

Containing high levels of caffeine alongside significant amounts of sugar, they are designed to stimulate alertness and temporarily increase energy. Caffeine takes effect quickly, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, before wearing off and often leaving young people experiencing a noticeable crash in energy.

Many popular brands also contain between 25 and more than 60 grams of sugar per serving, contributing to well-established health risks including obesity, heart disease and fatty liver disease.

Within schools, however, the immediate impact is often seen in pupils' behaviour. Research has shown that young people aged 11 to 14 who consume energy drinks are significantly more likely to experience hyperactivity and difficulties with concentration.

That link is reflected clearly in teachers' experiences.

Teachers are seeing the impact every day

Throughout the survey, members consistently described the same pattern.

Pupils become restless, agitated and unable to focus shortly after consuming energy drinks. As the effects wear off, many become tired, disengaged and lethargic. Teachers also reported increased irritability, mood swings and, in some cases, more aggressive behaviour.

One teacher described pupils as becoming "very combative when the drink is fresh in the system and extremely lethargic once the effects are gone."

Another explained that energy drinks make it "very difficult for students to focus and engage with learning", leaving pupils "noisier and agitated."

Others highlighted the practical challenge schools face in trying to manage the problem alone. As one teacher commented: "The school has a 'no energy drink' policy, but that doesn't stop some of them."

These experiences demonstrate that while many schools have introduced their own restrictions, teachers are too often left to manage an issue that extends well beyond the school gates.

It's time to deliver on the promise

Teachers have identified the problem. Schools are managing the consequences every day. Now the Government must deliver the action it promised.

NASUWT is calling on ministers to introduce the legislation it has already committed to, preventing the sale of drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to under-16s, both in shops and online.

Alongside this, there must be stronger public health campaigns to help parents and carers understand the risks associated with these products and the impact they can have on children's health, behaviour and learning.

We’re also calling on the Department for Education to add energy drinks to the statutory list of prohibited items in its Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance if age-restriction legislation is introduced. At present, schools are expected to enforce their own policies without clear national backing.

If the Government believes energy drinks are harmful enough to justify restricting their sale to children, schools should not be left to tackle the consequences alone.

Two years after ministers announced their intention to act, teachers are still waiting. The evidence is clear, the impact is visible in classrooms every day, and the need for action has never been stronger.