It will be illegal to sell high-caffeine beverages to under-16s from April next year, but soft drinks with lower caffeine levels will not be affected.

Children under 16 will be banned from buying high-caffeine energy drinks in England from April, the government has said. Drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre will be illegal to sell to children and younger teenagers in shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online. Lower-caffeine soft drinks, such Diet Coke, are not affected and neither are tea and coffee. However, drinks including Red Bull, Monster, Relentless and Prime would all breach the limit. The new rules aim to reduce obesity levels in children and prevent issues such as disrupted sleep, increased anxiety and lack of concentration, as well as poor school results. Announcing the new measures, first proposed last year, Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said the ban "demonstrates our firm commitment to creating the healthiest generation of children ever". The ban, subject to parliamentary approval, will be enforced by local authorities and businesses that break the law could face fines of up to £2,500. Around 100,000 children in England consume energy drinks every day and has warned the beverages can also impact pupils' ability to focus at school Some popular drinks brands contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee or four cans of cola.