Energy drinks and minors in Spain: what the law says
The Government wants to ban the sale of energy drinks to under-16s, and Galicia has already done so. We explain what has been approved, what is still a draft, and what stage each measure is at.
The law on energy drinks and minors in Spain is changing, but not at the same pace everywhere. The Ministry of Consumption wants to ban sales to under-16s nationwide, Galicia already has its own ban in force, and other regions are lagging behind. Here we explain what has been approved, what is still just a draft, and where each measure stands as of October 2026.
Is it banned to sell energy drinks to minors in Spain?
It depends on where you are. There is no approved national law yet: what exists is a preliminary draft that the Ministry of Consumption released for public consultation in June 2026. What is already in force nationwide is the ban on selling energy drinks within school premises, which came with the Royal Decree on healthy and sustainable school canteens.
In Galicia, however, sales to minors have been banned since March 2026 under a regional law. The Balearic Islands and Asturias also have their own rules in force.
What the Ministry of Consumption's preliminary draft law says
The Ministry of Consumption announced the measure in February 2026 and opened the preliminary draft's public consultation on June 4, 2026. According to the official notice, the proposal sets out two levels:
- Under 16s: sale of any energy drink is banned.
- Under 18s: sale of drinks with more than 32 mg of caffeine per 100 ml is banned.
The text also aims to regulate advertising for these drinks aimed at minors and harmonise regional rules so that there is no different rule in each region. The Ministry supports the measure with data from the ESTUDES survey: 38.4% of students aged 14 to 18 had consumed energy drinks in the last month, and 15% mixed them with alcohol.
What stage is the national law at?
The earliest stage. A preliminary public consultation is used to gather opinions before drafting the text. This must be followed by the structured draft, public hearing, approval by the Council of Ministers, and processing in Parliament. The public information we have consulted does not indicate that the preliminary draft has yet reached the Council of Ministers, so today it is not a law and has no entry into force date.
Autonomous communities: who already has their own rule
| Territory | Rule | Age | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain (national) | Ministry of Consumption preliminary draft law | 16 years; 18 if it exceeds 32 mg/100 ml | Preliminary public consultation (June 2026) |
| Galicia | Law 6/2025, of December 23 | Minors | In force since March 7, 2026 |
| Balearic Islands | Decree-law on urgent public health measures | Minors | Approved by the regional government in August 2026, pending Parliament |
| Asturias | Regional rule in preparation | 16 years | In processing |
| Whole country, schools | Royal Decree on school canteens | Students | In force: not sold in school premises |
Galicia: the first to ban it
The Galician Law 6/2025 was published in the Official Gazette on January 7, 2026, and came into force two months later. It affects drinks with 32 mg or more of caffeine per 100 ml. Minors cannot buy, consume, or carry them, and advertising aimed at them and near schools is restricted. In addition, shops must display them separately from soft drinks and water.
Balearic Islands and Asturias
According to El Español, the Balearic regional government approved a decree-law in August 2026 that bans the sale of these drinks to minors, with fines of 6,001 to 60,000 euros, which still has to pass through Parliament. Asturias is preparing a rule that would set the limit at 16 years, with penalties of up to 10,000 euros for serious offences.
Why that limit of 32 mg of caffeine per 100 ml?
It is the figure used by both the Galician law and the national preliminary draft to separate high-caffeine drinks from the rest. To give you an idea, a 500 ml can with 32 mg per 100 ml already contains 160 mg of caffeine. The OCU found in May 2026 up to 60 500 ml cans in supermarkets with more than 150 mg per container, which is the EFSA daily limit for a minor weighing around 50 kg.
The OCU supports the ban and calls for more: 250 ml cans at most and warnings covering at least 65% of the container, in the style of tobacco.
How much caffeine is safe according to the EFSA
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers that, in healthy adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine per day and up to 200 mg in a single dose do not pose safety problems. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the limit drops to 200 mg per day. For children and adolescents, the reference is much lower, and that is why energy drinks are not recommended for minors. If you want the full details, you can find them in our guide How much caffeine per day is safe?
What about powdered energy drinks?
The preliminary draft talks about energy drinks in general and there is no structured text yet, so we do not know how it will treat powdered formats. What we can do is do the math with our own drink.
A serving of Z Drinks Energy, such as Citric Power, contains 200 mg of caffeine and is prepared with 1 scoop of 5 g in 500 ml of cold water. That is 40 mg per 100 ml, above the 32 mg set by Galicia and the preliminary draft. To be clear: our powdered energy drink is for adults, and that is how we have designed it from the beginning.
If you are looking for something caffeine-free, our Hydrize electrolyte line contains no caffeine and is prepared with 6 g in 500 ml of water. We talk about other options in caffeine-free energy drinks.
What changes for you if you are an adult
Very little. None of the rules affect purchases by adults. What can change is where you see these drinks in the store (in Galicia they are already on separate shelves), that you are asked for identification when paying, and that advertising is more limited. And if you buy for home, remember that caffeine accumulates: coffee, cola drinks, and energy drinks all count towards those 400 mg daily.
Frequently asked questions
Can a minor under 16 buy energy drinks in Spain?
There is no national ban in force yet. There is one in Galicia and in school premises across the country, and the Balearic Islands have a decree-law approved by their regional government. The Ministry of Consumption's preliminary draft wants to ban it throughout Spain, but it is still in the preliminary public consultation phase.
When does the national energy drinks law come into force?
It has no date. Before being approved, the text must be drafted, go through a public hearing, the Council of Ministers, and Parliament.
Since when has it been banned in Galicia?
Since March 7, 2026, with Law 6/2025. It applies to drinks with 32 mg or more of caffeine per 100 ml.
What are the fines for selling energy drinks to minors?
They depend on each region. In the Balearic Islands, the decree-law approved by the regional government provides for between 6,001 and 60,000 euros. Asturias proposes up to 10,000 euros for serious offences.
Do sugar-free energy drinks also fall under the ban?
Yes. The rules focus on caffeine, not sugar. A sugar-free drink with more than 32 mg of caffeine per 100 ml would fall within the 18-year limit according to the preliminary draft.
