Get our daily coronavirus email newsletter with all the news you need to know direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Under 16s are going to be banned from buying energy drinks in a new crackdown, according to reports.

The Health Secretary has reportedly said he has decided to put an age limit on products such as Monster and Red Bull.

This comes after a Department of Health consultation on how energy drinks are damaging the health of youngsters.

In a letter leaked to The Sun, Matt Hancock reportedly said: "Following a high level of interest in the consultation, we plan on announcing that we will be ending the sale of energy drinks to children under the age of 16."

He reportedly said he is "taking a precautionary approach to mitigate the potential negative effects associated with their excessive consumption by children".

(Image: AFP/Getty Images) (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

The letter also said the move is likely to provoke a fight with the Treasury because of the effect it will have on retailers, according to reports.

Earlier this month, Boris Johnson pledged to halt hikes on so-called sin taxes, which include levies on tobacco, alcohol and sugar.

The frontrunner in the race to become prime minister committed to review the effectiveness of such taxes and to ask whether they unfairly hit those on low incomes.

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

The Tory MP also vowed not to introduce new ones until the review has been completed, as he hailed Brexit as an opportunity to examine tax policy.

Mr Johnson's campaign cited taxes on products high in salt, fat and sugar as examples.

His team did not immediately respond to requests as to whether the review would also include cigarettes and alcohol taxation.

England's chief medical officer has been considering taxing all unhealthy foods to tackle childhood obesity by discouraging parents from buying them.

Professor Dame Sally Davies said she wishes to incentivise healthy food sales, potentially subsidising them by charging more on unhealthy products.

A report by Dame Sally is due in September and was commissioned by a key ally of Mr Johnson's, Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

The sugar tax on soft drinks was introduced in April last year, and has been celebrated by experts including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.