TABLE 7.
National and International Energy Drink Regulations
| Country | Bans on Energy Drinks | Restrictions | Proposed or Attempted Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | — | — | Senate has proposed banning energy drinks in nightclubs5 |
| Australia | Recently banned 5 energy drinks on the basis of a caffeine content of >320 mg/L116 | — | Classifying energy drinks as pharmaceutical products, which are regulated, has been proposed116 |
| Canada | — | Requires warning labels, recommends a maximum daily consumption amount, and advises against mixing energy drinks with alcohol until further research has been conducted25 | — |
| Denmark | Prohibits energy drinks entirely5,25 | — | — |
| European Food Safety Authority | — | Beverages that contain >150 mg/L caffeine should be labeled “high caffeine content” and the exact amount present indicated on the label46 | — |
| France | — | — | Banned Red Bull but recently removed the ban after assessment by the European Food Safety Authority5 |
| Germany | 11 of 16 German states banned Red Bull Cola because of trace amounts of cocaine111 | — | Stricter regulations on warning labels have been requested by the government32; the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends that energy shots be banned because of the high risk of overdose38 |
| Ireland | — | — | Ireland is reviewing energy drink safety; Ireland's food-safety board has recommended that energy drinks be labeled as unsuitable for children <16 y old and that a ban be placed on the promotion of Red Bull in sporting events and in combination with alcohol118,120 |
| Netherlands | — | — | Reviewed energy drink safety and declared no risk118,120 |
| Norway | — | Energy drinks can only be sold in pharmacies5,25 | — |
| Sweden | — | Sales to children <15 y are banned; warning labels about consuming high caffeine after exercise and mixing energy drinks with alcohol are also present5 | — |
| Finland | — | — | Drinks that contain >150 mg/L of caffeine must be labeled “high caffeine content” and also must be labeled “not recommended for children, pregnant women, or people sensitive to caffeine”46; energy drinks must also state the maximum amount to be used daily”46 |
| Turkey | Ban on all high-caffeine energy drinks5,118 | — | — |
| United Kingdom | — | — | The UK's Committee on Toxicity investigated Red Bull and determined that it was safe for the general public but that children <16 y old or people sensitive to caffeine should avoid drinks with high caffeine content5,31 |
| Uruguay | Prohibits energy drinks entirely121 | — | — |
| United States | — | The FDA has listed caffeine as generally recognized as safe in concentrations of <200 mg/kg; in November 2009, the FDA announced plans to examine the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages46 | In 2008, Kentucky, Maine, and Michigan introduced legislation that would ban the sale of highly caffeinated drinks to children <18 y old, but the bills were defeated30; California is considering a bill to require special labels on alcoholic beverages to avoid confusion with nonalcoholic beverages43 |