Galicia: new regulations that will prevent minors from accessing energy drinks starting from March

Galicia has approved a legal framework aimed at reducing stimulant consumption among young people. The regulation introduces restrictive measures on drinks with a high caffeine content and establishes a treatment similar to that of other substances whose access is controlled for minors, with the aim of reinforcing public health and limiting practices considered harmful.

Key points:

• General prohibitions for minors: from 7 March 2026, two months after its official publication in the Official Gazette of Galicia, minors will not be able to purchase, consume, carry, or receive stimulating drinks of this type in any context.
• Technical criteria to identify these drinks: drinks with a caffeine concentration of 32 mg per 100 ml or more, in addition to other ingredients with stimulating effects, are considered included in this category.
• Health reasons: the decision responds to medical warnings about their impact on adolescents, including sleep disorders, cardiovascular overload, and negative effects linked to excess stimulants.
• Prohibitions on advertising, promotion or sponsorship: 
  • Absolute prohibition: direct or indirect, aimed at minors.
  • Prohibition of advertising in certain places and environments: including health and educational centers, child protection centers, children's leisure centers and spaces, establishments or activities aimed at minors, sports or entertainment facilities intended for minors, as well as on public roads within a radius of 100 meters from educational and child protection centers.
  • Prohibition in certain media and formats: including printed publications aimed at minors, as well as brochures not aimed at minors that include children's products when they incorporate promotions for energy drinks, with specific requirements for separating content and including preventive messages.
  • Prohibition of promotional practices in establishments that encourage excessive or uncontrolled consumption.
  • Prohibition of sponsoring events aimed at minors: in all other sponsoring activities, energy drinks cannot be offered to minors, nor can products or services associated with these drinks or their brands be provided.
• Parallel measures on vaping: the same law also prohibits the use and sale of electronic inhalation devices (regardless of their content) to minors, given their link to the initiation of tobacco use.
• Galicia as a pioneer: this region has become the first in Spain to introduce a comprehensive prohibition on both access and consumption and possession of these drinks by minors.
• Territorial extension of restrictions: after Galicia, Asturias will be the next autonomous community to process a bill on this issue. Likewise, Catalonia and the Basque Country have publicly expressed their interest in limiting the consumption of these drinks among young people, so it is likely that restrictions on these advertising practices will extend to other autonomous communities.

Link:

• Law 6/2025, of 23 December, on the protection of minors' health and the prevention of addictive behaviors: DOG 3 of 7/1/2026 - LAW 6/2025, of 23 December, on the protection of minors' health and the prevention of addictive behaviors.

Article written by the TMT department of ECIJA Madrid.