Saudi Arabia declares war on energy drinks

Saudi Arabia banned on Monday the sale of energy drinks at government, health and education facilities and outlawed all forms of advertising for the drinks, including the sponsorship of any sporting, social or cultural events by energy drinks companies.

The sweeping ban was approved during a cabinet meeting held in Riyadh on Monday and came after an Interior Ministry study of “the adverse effects of energy drinks,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

SPA said: “The Cabinet approved a number of actions, including:

1 - To prohibit advertising of any energy drink or do advertising or promotional campaigns for any energy drink via any readable, audible or visible media organ, or by any other means.”

2 - To prohibit energy drinks companies, their agents, distributors and marketing associations from sponsoring any sporting, social or cultural event, or taking any procedure leading to promotion.

3 - To prohibit the free distribution of energy drinks to consumers of all age groups.

4 - To prohibit the sale of energy drinks in restaurants and canteens in government facilities; education and health facilities; halls and public and private sports clubs.

5 - Upon the decision, factory owners and importers of energy drinks shall be committing to writing a text on the tin of any energy drink in Arabic and English languages - warning of the harmful effects of energy drinks.”