McDonald's sells energy drink to children in Austria

Foodwatch Austria conducted test purchases at McDonald’s locations in Vienna and surrounding areas. Children aged eight, eleven and fourteen were able to buy the chain’s “Tropical Energy Refresher” without any age verification or warning about its caffeine content. The drink contains about 31 mg of caffeine per 100 ml, roughly 93 mg in a standard cup – more than a 250‑ml Red Bull can and close to 80 % of the recommended daily limit for a typical twelve‑year‑old.

Medical experts warn that such caffeine levels can cause sleep disturbances, anxiety, heart rhythm problems and impaired learning in children. Because Austria currently has no legal minimum age for energy‑drink sales, the test showed a gap in consumer protection. Foodwatch is petitioning the Austrian government for a statutory age limit, noting that many neighbouring countries (e.g., Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary at 18 years; Norway at 16 years) already have such restrictions. After foodwatch’s inquiry, McDonald’s updated its product information to display caffeine levels.

The organization calls for legislation to prevent minors from easily obtaining highly caffeinated beverages, arguing that reliance on corporate self‑regulation is insufficient to safeguard child health.