The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:

- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;

- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;

- how the ban will apply in vending machines;

- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and

- how the ban would be enforced.

We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.

The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

The Government recognises that cash intensive businesses such as barber shops and nails bars can be exploited by criminals who seek to legitimise their criminal cash, enabling them to profit from their illegal activities. Addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre, which sits within the National Crime Agency, who are currently working with partners to drive an increased operational response to this threat, including money laundering through cash intensive businesses.

In parallel, the National Police Chiefs Council economic crime co-ordinators are engaged in the development of Clear Hold Build strategies to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime. Clear Hold Build aims to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime and increase public confidence in the police and partner agencies. This includes tackling financial crime on the high street.

While businesses such as barber shops are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority they interact with regulated businesses, such as banks, who under the Money Laundering Regulations are required to undertake customer due diligence and under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 submit reports to the National Crime Agency if they suspect money laundering.

The Government is committed to fostering the conditions for prosperous and diverse high streets. The Government has recently introduced High Street Rental Auctions to tackle persistent vacancy and ensure that more business ventures can access commercial property opportunities at a fair market rate.

The National Planning Policy Framework also supports town centres by requiring policies and decisions to promote their growth, management and adaptation. The commercial business and service use class provides flexibility for premises between high street uses, including to provide services such as creches or health services, without the need for a planning application.

On 30 November new regulations requiring face coverings to be worn in shops and on public transport were put in force until 22 December. However, as the scale of the challenge presented by Omicron became clearer, the Department acted, both broadening the scope of these regulation and extending their life to 26 Jan 2022. The Department is keeping all aspects of its response to the pandemic under review, including the latest response in the light of Omicron.

From 24 July all customers must wear face coverings in shops and supermarkets. This is in addition to the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport.

As is the case for public transport, there will be a range of exemptions set out in law. This will include children under 11 and those with certain disabilities.