Despite voluntary age restrictions, a UK study reveals that clever branding, social influence, and online access keep energy and hydration drinks popular among children, underscoring the need for clearer policies and stronger enforcement.
A Mixed Method Study Exploring Children and Young People's Perception of Energy Drinks and Analysing Consumption Patterns. Image Credit: Petro Artem / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers examined how children and young people perceive Energy Drinks (EDs) after the 2018 voluntary age restriction in the United Kingdom (UK) and described their ED consumption patterns.
Background
One in three UK adolescents reportedly drinks EDs weekly, yet many parents still wonder: what draws kids to them? EDs typically combine caffeine and sugar with stimulants like guarana and taurine. Evidence links frequent intake to sleep loss, anxiety, dental erosion, weight gain, and poorer school performance.
Brands increasingly court youth through social media, sports tie-ins, and bright, collectible packaging. At the same time, a new wave of “hydration drinks” markets electrolytes, low sugar, and “functional wellness,” blurring the line between energy and hydration beverages and potentially confusing young consumers.
Communities care because these products are cheap, visible, and easy to get. The study also notes that caffeine from EDs may interfere with calcium absorption during adolescence, a key stage of bone development, and that sugar content can reach 9–13 g per 100 mL. Further research must pinpoint how marketing and access drive real-world use.
They give u [sic] a boost and taste even better than just juice or something. [Male, Year 9]
About the study
Following the Good Reporting of A Mixed Methods Study (GRAMMS) framework, the team used a convergent mixed-methods design in June–July 2023 across primary and secondary schools in the Tees Valley region, North East England. Semi-structured focus groups explored perceptions, influences, and access.
Eight single-gender groups included Years 5–6 (ages 9–11; n=38) and Year 9 (ages 13–14; n=12), selected by teachers to balance gender and classroom diversity after opt-in parental consent and student assent.
A facilitated “sorting” task with real packaging (soft drinks, EDs, sports/hydration drinks) warmed up discussion about branding, ingredients, and health effects. Sessions were audio-recorded on encrypted devices, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed in NVivo qualitative software.
In parallel, a self-report online questionnaire (hosted on Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Online Surveys) targeted Year 9 students to quantify ED frequency, initiation context, reasons for use, and purchase locations. Of 22 respondents, 18 who reported ED use completed key items and were retained for analysis.
The small sample size reflects the difficulty of recruiting during school exam periods, as noted by the authors. Descriptive statistics summarized patterns (e.g., weekly frequency, first exposure, gaming/sport contexts). Ethical approval came from the university’s School of Health and Life Sciences Ethics Sub-committee.
Public involvement included a youth advisory session (ages 14–18) that refined questions and age-appropriate response scales, with participants compensated with a £25 voucher in line with NIHR guidance.
If you go to a shop and get one, sometimes it can be seen as cool. [Girl, Year 9]
Study results
Focus groups (n=50) revealed three overarching domains, perceptions, motivating factors, and policy, with ten recurring themes: branding or marketing, health effects, ingredients, hydration drinks, taste, cost or access, school-based interventions, influence of friends and family, age-restricted purchase, and design or advertising.
Children easily distinguished soft drinks, EDs, and sports or hydration drinks in the sorting exercise, and spontaneously cited taglines (“Red Bull gives you wings”), YouTube or TikTok placements, gaming tie-ins, and sports sponsorships (e.g., Formula 1 (F1) and athlete endorsements). Many believed bright colors and novel can designs are deliberately crafted to attract young buyers.
People used to punch each other over it, because it was two young famous YouTubers, Logan Paul and KSI, and they made the drinks so that people want it because it′s a drink they′ve seen all over the internet. [Boy, Year 5/6]
Ingredient awareness centered on caffeine and sugar, though specific amounts were unclear; labels were seen as hard to read. Perceived risks included addiction, insomnia, diabetes, and “heart problems,” with a few citing news of rare severe events.
Some children also recalled stories of fatalities linked to excessive consumption reported in the media. Crucially, children drew a sharp line between caffeinated EDs and caffeine-free “hydration drinks,” especially PRIME Hydration, which they associated with sports, wellness, and “healthier” choices despite limited understanding of sweeteners or vitamin dosing.
Social influence was strong: peers and family normalized trial and repeat use, and carrying a popular brand could feel “cool.” Taste, especially “sweet,” “vibrant flavors,” was a primary motivator.
Access patterns emphasized convenience stores and price. Students knew own-label cans were cheaper, sometimes cheaper than bottled water, and discussed brand loyalty versus bargain hunting. Some reported online purchasing with little age verification and informal resale (“black-market” flipping) among peers.
Yeah, yeah, a corner shop I know is getting worse now there selling them to minors. Monster and Rockstar and Red Bull to I think kids our age. [Boy, Year 5/6]
Although all participating schools banned EDs and hydration drinks on premises, students proposed more engaging lessons, duller packaging for age-restricted items, clearer warnings, and moving EDs away from staples (e.g., milk and bread) to restricted areas (like alcohol) to reduce impulse buys. They believed there was “a law,” but were unsure of the age threshold, reflecting confusion amid voluntary retail policies.
Questionnaire findings (Year 9; n=18 ED users) aligned with the qualitative insights. A majority (81.8% of the whole sample) reported ED use; boys consumed more than girls.
Typical frequency clustered at 2–4 days per week, with first exposure often at a shop (more common for girls) or via friends/family or school (more common for boys). Corner shops were the main purchase point (50%). Reasons centered on “tastes nice” and “flavors.”
Named favorites included Monster, Emerge, and BOOST. About half of those answering the hydration/sports section reported using hydration drinks because they “keep you hydrated” and “taste better than juice,” echoing the brand-driven health halo observed in groups.
Participant Questionnaire Answers
| Question |
Female |
Male |
(n) |
Total % |
| What age were you when you started drinking energy drinks? |
|
| Under 10 years |
4 |
1 |
5 |
27.7% |
| 11 years |
1 |
1 |
2 |
11.1% |
| 12 years |
2 |
6 |
8 |
44.4% |
| 13 years |
1 |
2 |
3 |
16.6% |
| How often do you consume energy drinks? |
|
| Less than once a week |
2 |
1 |
3 |
16.6% |
| Once a day, every day |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5.5% |
| 2–4 days a week |
3 |
4 |
7 |
38.8% |
| Once a week |
1 |
1 |
2 |
11.1% |
| 5–6 days a week |
2 |
3 |
5 |
22.7% |
| How were you first introduced to energy drinks? |
|
| Advertisement |
1 |
1 |
2 |
11.1% |
| At a shop |
5 |
2 |
7 |
38.8% |
| By friends/family |
2 |
3 |
5 |
22.7% |
| Gaming |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5.5% |
| School |
0 |
3 |
3 |
16.6% |
| Where do you buy your energy drinks from? |
|
| Corner shop |
5 |
4 |
9 |
50.0% |
| Someone else buys me it |
1 |
1 |
2 |
11.1% |
| Supermarket |
1 |
2 |
3 |
16.6% |
| Petrol station |
2 |
2 |
4 |
22.2% |
| Why do you choose to drink energy drinks? |
|
| They taste nice |
5 |
7 |
12 |
66.6% |
| They give energy |
1 |
2 |
3 |
16.6% |
| I like the flavours |
2 |
1 |
3 |
16.6% |
| Do you drink energy drinks when gaming? |
|
| Yes |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
| No |
5 |
5 |
10 |
55.5% |
| Sometimes |
3 |
5 |
8 |
44.4% |
| Do you drink energy drinks when playing sport? |
|
| Yes |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
| No |
7 |
4 |
11 |
61.1% |
| Sometimes |
2 |
3 |
5 |
27.7% |
Conclusions
Children and young people understand, and are swayed by, how brands deploy color, flavor, influencers, gaming, and sports to make EDs and hydration drinks desirable.
T-t-tau-rine, I don′t know what that is. [Girl, Year 5/6]
Peer norms, taste, low price, and easy access at convenience stores, and even online, sustain regular use, with boys reporting higher consumption.
Hydration drinks, notably PRIME Hydration, carry a strong “healthier” image despite limited literacy about sweeteners and micronutrient dosing. The authors caution that excessive intake of such drinks could pose risks related to artificial sweeteners and vitamin overconsumption.
Practical levers children endorsed, such as age-clear placement, duller packaging for restricted items, clearer warnings, and engaging school lessons, could curb uptake. However, the researchers note that their findings are region-specific (Tees Valley, North East England) and may not generalize nationally.
Policy clarity and enforcement, including online age checks, will be vital as the UK revisits restrictions on under-16 sales.
The study concludes that the voluntary ban alone is insufficient and that legislative measures, particularly for online sales, should be considered.
I started seeing my friends have them and I wanted them. [Boy, Year 5/6]
Journal reference:
- Stewart, G., Lake, A.A. & Moore, H.J. (2025). A Mixed Method Study Exploring Children and Young People's Perception of Energy Drinks and Analysing Consumption Patterns. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 38(5). DOI: 10.1111/jhn.70140 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jhn.70140?af=R