Caffeine-based drinks should not claim any health properties, said the Socialists and Democrats following a vote in which the European Parliament objected to a controversial proposal. The Commission had proposed to allow energy drinks to publicise some health properties in their labelling and marketing.

MEP Christel Schaldemose, S&D spokesperson on this issue, said:
 
“We are strongly against misleading health claims. Energy drinks should not be marketed as 'healthy', especially not to children and teenagers.
 
“Adolescents actually represent the biggest group of consumers of energy drinks, and the health claim that the industry would like to introduce, states that caffeine increases focus and concentration, amongst other things. What they don’t say is that energy drinks also have a high sugar content.”

S&D spokesperson on health, Matthias Groote MEP, said:
 
“This would be a misuse of health claims, which is not compatible with the Health Claims Regulation.
 
“This initiative from the S&D Group managed to gain the necessary support across the Parliament, and the use of these health claims will now not be allowed in the EU.”