The Savitaipale energy drink ban has prohibited the consumption of energy drinks in all municipal buildings in the southeastern Finnish town since the beginning of September. The rule covers schools, libraries, youth facilities and sports venues and applies not only to children and teenagers, but also to adults.
Savitaipale is believed to be the first municipality in Finland to introduce such a comprehensive restriction. Energy drinks have already been restricted in several Finnish schools since the 2010s, but the new measure extends the prohibition across the municipality’s public facilities, according to Yle.
The measure does not include fines or other formal penalties. Municipal staff will instead ask people seen drinking energy drinks inside the affected facilities to stop.
Director of Wellbeing Aija Rautio compared the approach with the rules applied to smoking.
“Using energy drinks is a personal choice, but if we see someone drinking them in municipal facilities, we will point it out.”
Savitaipale energy drink ban began with a youth initiative
The municipality’s Education and Wellbeing Committee approved the measure in August following a proposal from the local youth council.
The initiative focused not only on the health effects of energy drinks but also on their availability, visibility and role in social situations among young people.
The issue had already been discussed at municipal level earlier in the year. In June, Savitaipale’s committee considered a wider appeal by municipalities and youth representatives in South Karelia calling on parents, retailers and organisations to help reduce energy drink consumption among children and teenagers. Municipalities were also encouraged to review their own rules in schools, youth facilities and recreational activities.
Youth council chair Vilma Sysiö told Yle that energy drinks have also become part of social interaction among young people.
“Energy drinks are bought at the shop with friends and drunk together. People chat around them, much like adults chat over coffee.”
According to Sysiö, removing energy drinks from municipal facilities could therefore reduce some of the peer pressure surrounding their consumption. The youth council said it had received only positive feedback on its proposal.
Two-thirds of Finnish young people drink energy drinks
The local measure comes after new figures highlighted how widespread energy drink consumption has become among Finnish teenagers and young adults.
A 2026 Youth Nutrition Survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, THL found that 67 percent of people aged 12 to 20 consumed energy drinks at least occasionally. About 42 percent drank them at least once a week, 15 percent three to five times a week and 6 percent daily or almost daily.
Among those consuming energy drinks at least weekly, 24 percent said they felt they drank too much, while 70 percent reported some degree of dependency. THL also found that energy drinks accounted for 78 percent of caffeine intake among under-18 energy drink consumers.
The institute says high consumption is associated with risks including sleep disturbances, changes in heart rate, palpitations, headaches and difficulties with concentration. It considers a daily caffeine intake below three milligrams per kilogram of body weight safe for under-18s. The survey found that this threshold was exceeded by 9 percent of girls and 17 percent of boys who consumed energy drinks when caffeine from other beverages was also included.
Finland is also debating restrictions on sales to minors
Savitaipale’s decision remains a local rule governing municipal premises, rather than a restriction on the sale of energy drinks.
At national level, however, THL has called for Finland to introduce legislation prohibiting the sale of energy drinks to people under 18. The institute had already recommended more than a decade ago that sales should be restricted for children under 15, but says voluntary measures have not been enough to curb consumption.
For Savitaipale, the immediate focus is instead on the environments controlled by the municipality and on the example set by adults. THL senior researcher Peppi Haario told Yle that adults’ behaviour can influence young people’s habits, one of the reasons the municipal ban was extended to everyone rather than applying only to minors.
Whether other Finnish municipalities adopt similar rules will now determine if Savitaipale remains an isolated case or becomes an early example of a broader local response to growing energy drink consumption among young people.
