Starting organism: how they will be fined for selling energy drinks to children
Fines for selling energy drinks to minors will have serious consequences for small businesses, while large ones may not have enough impact, experts believe. The amount of sanctions may amount to 500 thousand rubles — such a bill was approved by the State Duma in the first reading on March 4. The fines should encourage sellers to follow the law banning the sale of such drinks to children, which came into force on March 1, 2025. In addition, the deputies plan to develop criminal liability for repeated violations. About what other measures are being proposed to limit the sale of energy drinks to children, see the Izvestia article.
What will be the penalties
State Duma deputies on Tuesday, March 4, adopted in the first reading a bill on the introduction of administrative responsibility for the retail sale of energy products to minors. For citizens, the fine will range from 30 thousand to 50 thousand rubles, for officials from 100 thousand to 200 thousand rubles, for legal entities — from 300 thousand to 500 thousand rubles.
On March 1, 2025, a federal law came into force that imposed a complete ban on the sale of energy drinks to minors throughout the country, while businesses had time to prepare for the start of its operation — the law was passed on July 31, 2024 year. But even before the decision on such restrictions at the federal level, such bans were actively introduced by regional authorities — by the summer of last year they were already in effect in 65 regions. In particular, in Belgorod, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Moscow and other regions.
Now sellers across the country have to check the documents when selling energy drinks, as is done when selling alcohol. In addition, the sale of non-alcoholic tonic drinks with a volume of more than 500 ml is prohibited.
— Among young people, every second consumes energy. The harm of such drinks has been proven by doctors: they increase the risk of hypertension, the development of coronary heart disease, diabetes and other diseases," emphasized Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin at the adoption of the document.
In addition, the law has given the regions additional powers so that they can restore order in this area — we are talking about the possibility of limiting the place and time of sale of such drinks. Some large retailers have already begun to implement the innovations, but small sellers are either not familiar with them, or deliberately evade them due to the lack of sanctions, the deputies stated during the plenary session on March 4, considering the draft law on fines.
The federal law that came into force on March 1 consolidated the restrictions previously in force in the regions, said Nina Ostanina, one of the authors of the initiative, chairman of the Committee for Family Protection, Fatherhood, Motherhood and Childhood.
— I believe that 500 thousand rubles is a very significant amount, and some people would be unwilling to pretend that they do not understand that they are selling energy to minors and harming their lives and health," the deputy stressed.
Currently, for example, in the Moscow region the fine for legal entities is up to 150 thousand rubles, in the Voronezh region for legal entities — up to 30 thousand rubles and in the Ivanovo region — from 70 thousand to 100 thousand rubles.
According to the explanatory note, the police will monitor compliance with the law.
Some amendments may be made to the bill by the second reading, Nina Ostanina added. In particular, the issue of which public places should be prohibited from selling tonic drinks will be worked out.
What additional sanctions can be imposed
Routine business inspections are needed to ensure compliance with the law banning the sale of energy drinks to children, said Olga Alimova, a member of the State Duma's commission on regulations and business support. But Nina Ostanina disagreed with such a mechanism, pointing out that, knowing about the time and place of inspections, sellers will not sell energy products to children. And they will continue to sell dangerous drinks before and after the raids.
Biysultan Khamzayev, a member of the health protection committee, said that after the law on the prohibition of sales came into force, he conducted a "control check": in 95% of cases, sellers did not comply with the legislation.
— There are a couple of episodes when sellers read about the ban on the Internet and know that it works, so they refused to sell energy products to children, — said the deputy. — But this is a single factor. Basically, they sell everything.
It is also planned to develop amendments to the Criminal Code soon, which will impose sanctions for the repeated sale of tonic drinks to minors, Nina Ostanina said.
— Therefore, let us be vigilant citizens, like Deputy Khamzaev with his volunteers, he walks, checks," she added. — Let's make changes and demand criminal penalties, as for the repeated sale or illegal sale of alcoholic beverages, because energy is no milder than alcohol in terms of the degree of impact on health.
The fines provided for in the draft law will have a significant impact on individual entrepreneurs, but not on major market players, believes the lawyer of the Moscow Lobutev and Partners Bar Association Anna Malafeeva. For large networks and businesses in general, sanctions may not be so critical.
Such sanctions create a really tangible barrier for violators, she noted. Currently, for violations of, for example, the rules for the sale of alcoholic beverages, fines for legal entities amount to the same 300-500 thousand rubles.
— It is worth considering other measures that could be implemented to combat the sale of energy drinks to minors, the expert said.
In her opinion, it is necessary to introduce specialized licenses for the sale of energy drinks by analogy with alcoholic beverages. These are additional barriers to market entry.
— It is also possible to conduct information campaigns about the dangers of energy drinks for children and adolescents, this will increase the awareness of parents and youth, — added Anna Malafeeva. — In all circumstances, it is necessary to take into account the interests of both business and youth in order to find a balance, protecting the health of future generations and not creating excessive barriers to entrepreneurship.
How energy affects children
Tonic substances in energy drinks have a negative effect on the child's body, all the doctors interviewed by Izvestia said. In particular, exhaustion or arrhythmia are among the common consequences.
The active ingredients of such drinks — caffeine and guarana — affect brain receptors, said neurologist Pavel Khoroshev. Their effect on the human body can be compared "to a whip used to beat a horse."
— Such drinks cause an increase in the activity of the nervous system," he said. — But there are about 15% of the population who, on the contrary, are calmed and put to sleep by energy companies.
In his opinion, children often drink energy drinks because of the improperly distributed workload at school.
Cardiologist Yuri Serebryansky believes that parents' low concern about the use of energy drinks by children is fraught with advanced diseases.
— Parents believe that the child is young, will outgrow, but here the situation may actually be missed, — the doctor believes. — cardiomyopathy occurs in children, that is, changes in the size of the heart, heart defects, arrhythmias, a wide variety of cardiac arrhythmias. And, of course, adding caffeine and other tonics can worsen and cause more severe arrhythmia. Especially if this happens against a background of physical exertion.
In addition, tonic drinks can cause diseases of the autonomic nervous system, which provoke insomnia, decreased performance and panic attacks.
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