Minister calls for ban on marketing energy drinks to kids
Denmark’s Interior and Health Minister, Sophie Løhde, has urged energy drink manufacturers to stop marketing to children and called for greater industry responsibility. Løhde highlighted marketing tactics appealing to youth, including cartoon characters, bright colors, and QR codes for online games. While Norway moved to ban energy drinks in 2023 due to their harmful effects, Denmark has not set an age limit for their sale, despite health advisories against children’s consumption. Løhde is not in favor of a ban for under-15s but stresses the need to tighten marketing practices. An initiative led by the Brewers Association seeks to prevent marketing soft drinks directly to young children and calls for careful packaging design to avoid appealing to them.