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High-caffeine energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England – Streeting
High-caffeine energy drinks will be banned for under-16s in England to prevent harm to children’s health, the Government has said.
The plan will make it illegal to sell energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to anyone under 16 across all retailers, including online, in shops, restaurants, cafes and vending machines.
Lower-caffeine soft drinks – such as Coca‑Cola, Coca‑Cola Zero, Diet Coke and Pepsi – are not affected, and neither are tea and coffee.
However, high-caffeine energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Relentless and Prime would all breach the limit.
Major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons and Asda have already stopped sales of the drinks to youngsters, but the Department of Health said research suggests some smaller convenience stores are still selling them to children.
According to ministers, a ban could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children and will help prevent issues such as disrupted sleep, increased anxiety and lack of concentration, as well as poorer school results.
Around 100,000 children are thought to consume at least one high-caffeine energy drink every day.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “How can we expect children to do well at school if they have the equivalent of a double espresso in their system on a daily basis?
“Energy drinks might seem harmless, but the sleep, concentration and wellbeing of today’s kids are all being impacted while high sugar versions damage their teeth and contribute to obesity.
“As part of our plan for change and shift from treatment to prevention, we’re acting on the concerns of parents and teachers and tackling the root causes of poor health and educational attainment head on.
“By preventing shops from selling these drinks to kids, we’re helping build the foundations for healthier and happier generations to come.”
A newly-launched consultation will now run for 12 weeks to gather evidence from experts in health and education as well as retailers, manufacturers, local enforcement leaders and the public.
Drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre must already carry warning labels stating they are not recommended for children.
Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said firms do not market or promote the drinks to under-16s.
He added: “Our members have led the way in self-regulation through our long-standing energy drinks code of practice.
“Our members do not market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s and label all high-caffeine beverages as ‘not recommended for children’, in line with and in the spirit of this code.
“As with all Government policy, it’s essential that any forthcoming regulation is based on a rigorous assessment of the evidence that’s available.”
According to the Department of Health, up to one in three children aged 13 to 16, and nearly a quarter of children aged 11 to 12, consume one or more high-caffeine energy drink every week.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “This Government inherited a scourge of poor classroom behaviour that undermines the learning of too many children – partly driven by the harmful effects of caffeine-loaded drinks – and today’s announcement is another step forward in addressing that legacy.”
Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “Paediatricians are very clear that children or teenagers do not need energy drinks.
“Young people get their energy from sleep, a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise and meaningful connection with family and friends.
“There’s no evidence that caffeine or other stimulants in these products offer any nutritional or developmental benefit, in fact growing research points to serious risks for behaviour and mental health.
“Banning the sale of these products to under-16s is the next logical step in making the diet of our nation’s children more healthy.”
Carrera, from the youth-led group Bite Back, which campaigns for changes to the way unhealthy foods are made, marketed and sold, said: “Energy drinks have become the social currency of the playground – cheap, brightly packaged, and easier to buy than water.
“They’re aggressively marketed to us, especially online, despite serious health risks.
“We feel pressured to drink them, especially during exam season, when stress is high and healthier options are hard to find.
“This ban is a step in the right direction, but bold action on marketing and access must follow.”
Amelia Lake, professor of public health nutrition at Teesside University, said: “Our research has shown the significant mental and physical health consequences of children drinking energy drinks.
“We have reviewed evidence from around the world and have shown that these drinks have no place in the diets of children.”
Barbara Crowther, of the Children’s Food Campaign at Sustain, an alliance of food, farming and health organisations, said the drinks were “branded and marketed to appeal to young people through sports and influencers, and far too easily purchased by children in shops, cafes and vending machines”.
Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said: “Mounting evidence shows us that high-caffeine energy drinks are damaging the health of children across the UK, particularly those from deprived communities who are already at higher risk of obesity and other health issues.
“We welcome this public health intervention to limit access to these drinks and help support the physical and mental wellbeing of our young people.”
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: “The majority of convenience stores already have a voluntary age restriction in place on energy drinks, and will welcome the clarity of regulation on this issue.
“Our members have a long-standing track record of enforcing age restricted sales on different products, but it is essential that the Government effectively communicates the details of the ban to consumers to avoid the risk of confrontation in stores.”
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CBIC extends GSTR-3B filing deadline to October 25, 2025 after BCAS requests relief due to Diwali. The move eases compliance for GST taxpayers and professionals across India.
Taxpayers under GST can’t claim ITC or file GSTR-1 properly if GSTR-3B isn’t filled.
GSTR-3B Filing Due Date Extended: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has extended the form GSTR-3B filing deadline to October 25, 2025, for both monthly and quarterly filers, providing much-needed relief to taxpayers due to the Diwali festival.
Every registered taxpayer under GST requires to file GSTR-3B, which is a self-declaration return summarizing all outward and inward supplies (sales and purchases) and pay the GST liability for the month/quarter.
Usually, taxpayer have to file the form GSTR-3B on or before the 20th of each month. While small taxpayers who have turnover less than 5 crore have a leverage to opt for quarterly return filing (QRMP), hence filing GSTR-3B quarterly.
The much-needed relaxation comes after the Bombay Chartered Accountant Society (BCAS) asked the Ministry of Finance to extend the due date for filing GSTR-3B returns for September 30 due to the clash with the Diwali festival.
BCAS’s representation in the letter wrote to the Finance Ministry that “the standard statutory due date for furnishing the return is 20th October 2025. The same falls immediately after Sunday, 19th October 2025. Furthermore, the period encompassing 20th October 2025 to 23rd October 2025 coincides directly with the primary days of the Diwali festival, which is observed as a significant public holiday cluster across the country.”
The preparation and finalization of FORM GSTR-3B necessarily involves substantial preparatory work, including reconciliation, data entry, review of Input Tax Credit (ITC) eligibility (often dependent on GSTR-2B generation after the 14th of the month), and fund arrangement for tax payment. Given that the entire period from October 19, 2025, onwards is dedicated to Diwali, professionals, accountants, and company personnel are severely impacted, making the effective compliance window extremely restrictive, if not practically non-existent, BCAS added in the letter.
“Therefore, as a significant step towards ease of doing business, it is earnestly requested that the due date for filing GSTR-3B of September 2025 be extended. Granting this essential administrative relief will enable registered persons and tax practitioners to complete the necessary compliance procedures following the conclusion of the festival period, ensuring accurate and complete return filing and promoting adherence to the provisions of the CGST Act without penalizing taxpayers for unavoidable circumstances,” BCAS concluded.
Why Is It Important To File GSTR-3B?
Taxpayers under GST can’t claim ITC or file GSTR-1 properly if GSTR-3B isn’t filled.
If you file GSTR-3B after the due date, you have to pay a late fee (fixed per day).
As per GST rules:
- Rs 50 per day → if you have any tax liability (Rs 25 CGST + Rs 25 SGST).
- Rs 20 per day → if you have no tax liability (nil return) (Rs 10 CGST + Rs 10 SGST).
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More
October 19, 2025, 09:00 IST
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Thousands of young people in Scotland will benefit from skilled “clean energy jobs”, the UK Government has said, as it launched its plans to “train the next generation of energy workers”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the new plan places Scotland “at the very heart of the clean energy revolution”.
The Government said Scotland will see up to 60,000 jobs in greener energy by 2030 – a 40,000 increase from 2023.
Across the UK, it expects employment to double to 860,000 by the end of the decade, including nuclear energy.
It said 31 “priority occupations” had been identified for the switch away from fossil fuels, including plumbers, electricians and welders.
As part of the transition, the Scottish Government said on Sunday it would jointly invest £18 million with the UK Government to enable thousands of North Sea workers to access tailored support to make the change to more sustainable energy.
UK ministers said their new plans include proposals to ensure people in these jobs have “world class pay, terms and conditions”.
They said this includes closing loopholes to extend employment protections enjoyed by offshore oil and gas workers working beyond UK territorial seas.
Initiatives were also announced to encourage more veterans, ex-offenders and unemployed people into the sector.
The UK Energy Secretary said: “Communities across Scotland have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs.
“The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen and places Scotland at the very heart of the clean energy revolution this Government is delivering.
“Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your home town just to find a decent job.
“Thanks to this Government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in Scotland can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.
“This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.”
Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet – but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.
“This continued and expanded funding to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.
“We will continue to explore how best to support Scotland’s energy skills transition, working closely with the UK Government on options like guaranteed interview schemes, redeployment pools and skills passporting.”
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander added: “From offshore wind to carbon capture, Scotland is uniquely positioned to lead our clean energy revolution with world-class resources and skilled workers.
“Harnessing the potential of clean energy is an unmistakable example of how the UK Government is delivering for Scotland.
“These 40,000 new opportunities will benefit a generation of young people across Scotland and represent a pivotal moment in our mission to boost economic growth across all parts of the UK.
“This UK Government is putting money directly into the pockets of hardworking Scots.
“This comes alongside Great British Energy’s launch in Aberdeen, which is already unlocking significant investment and helping to create skilled jobs as we make Britain a clean energy superpower.”
Mumbai: India’s private banks showed contrasting trends in asset quality in Q2 FY26, with larger lenders maintaining stability while smaller players, particularly those under new leadership, reported setbacks in earnings. IndusInd Bank and Federal Bank, both navigating transitions under new MDs, did not post year-on-year growth in net profits as the chiefs accelerated clean-ups and strengthened governance.HDFC Bank, the country’s largest private lender, reported a 10.8% rise in net profit to Rs 18,640 crore, driven by a 25% jump in non-interest income and steady improvement in asset quality. MD and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan said economic activity was improving across customer and product segments, allowing the bank to accelerate loan growth. Asset quality remained a key strength, with the bank maintaining stable ratios for net interest margin, cost-to-income, and return on assets. HDFC Bank also continued its investments in technology and innovation, including GenAI and “lighthouse experiments”, aimed at improving efficiency and customer experience over the next 18-24 months.ICICI Bank’s net profit grew 5.2% to Rs 12,359 crore despite a steep drop in treasury income. Excluding treasury, core operating profit rose 6.5%, reflecting steady underlying performance. Provisions fell 25.9%, helping gross NPAs ease to 1.58% and net NPAs to 0.39%. The lender expanded retail and business banking loans, which now account for more than half its portfolio.IndusInd Bank, under new MD and CEO Rajiv Anand, recorded a net loss of Rs 437 crore as the bank accelerated write-offs and increased provisions in microfinance to strengthen its balance sheet. The lender also continued to contend with legacy issues stemming from prior accounting irregularities. Gross NPAs improved slightly to 3.60%, while net NPAs eased to 1.04% but deposits and advances contracted, and core income fell.YES Bank reported an 18.3% rise in net profit to Rs 654 crore, supported by higher non-interest income, cost efficiency, and retail growth. Net NPAs declined to 0.3% while gross NPAs remained stable at 1.6%. The quarter marked a strategic ownership change, with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation acquiring a 24.2% stake, and the bank continued to expand its branch network and digital footprint. MD and CEO Prashant Kumar emphasised the business model and strategy remained unchanged, with efforts ongoing to improve revenues, net interest margin, and cost-to-income ratio.Federal Bank posted a 9.5% decline in net profit to Rs 955 crore due to higher provisions, even as gross NPAs fell to 1.83% and net NPAs to 0.48%. Under new MD and CEO KVS Manian, the bank focused on strengthening risk management, increasing mid-yield assets, and expanding digital transactions, which now account for over 92% of all retail and corporate activity.PNB net profit jumps 14% to ₹4904 crorePunjab National Bank reported a 14% rise in Q2 net profit to Rs 4,904 crore, with operating profit up 5.5% to Rs 7,227 crore. Total income grew 5.1%, while net interest income slipped 0.5%. Gross and net NPAs fell to 3.45% and 0.36%, respectively. Advances and deposits rose 10.1% and 10.9%. Retail, agriculture, and MSME loans drove growth. CRAR strengthened to 17.19%, digital transactions surged 31%, and full-year credit growth is expected at 11%-12%.
Real UK GDP grows 0.3% QoQ in quarter to Aug 2025: ONS
CBIC Extends GSTR-3B Filing Deadline To October 25 Amid Diwali Festivities
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