Parliamentary report urges ban on energy drinks for under-16s and tighter alcohol rules

A parliamentary information mission led by Sandrine Runel and Yannick Neuder has issued a draft report urging that energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster Energy, Crazy Tiger and Ciao Energy be barred from sale to anyone under 16 and taken out of automatic vending machines, because young consumers face a higher health risk. While the report acknowledges that reasonable consumption poses no danger to the general population, it highlights that excessive use among youths can trigger harmful cardiovascular and psychological symptoms, especially when combined with alcohol.

The document also examines ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages like Vody, labeling them harmful and often exceeding daily caffeine limits in a single can. It recommends extending the "prémix" tax to all pre-mixed alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content above 12% vol and strengthening the ban on alcohol sales to minors, including the possibility of test purchases. Additionally, the report criticises current advertising rules as outdated for social-media platforms and proposes prohibiting online promotion of alcoholic drinks. These proposals will feed into amendments to the 2027 social security budget and a forthcoming bill.