Energy drink consumption is widespread among young people across the Nordic countries, with six in ten teenagers and young adults saying they drink the beverages at least once a week, according to a Nordic study that also found particularly early consumption among respondents in Finland.
The research, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, surveyed 4,916 young people in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland about their use of energy drinks and other sources of caffeine. Only 16 per cent of those surveyed said they never drink energy drinks.
The age at which young people begin consuming them is one of the clearest findings. Across the Nordic region, 39 per cent of respondents said they had started drinking energy drinks at the age of 13 or younger.
Finland recorded an especially early starting point. One in four Finnish respondents said they had begun drinking energy drinks before turning 12. Another third said they started at either 12 or 13. Finnish participants were also more likely than respondents elsewhere in the region to consume coffee and iced coffee.
The findings suggest that for a significant share of young people, energy drinks have moved beyond occasional consumption. More than one in five respondents across the Nordic countries said they drink them every day. Almost half also reported having experienced occasions when they felt they could not get through the day without an energy drink.
For some respondents, the absence of caffeine was associated with physical discomfort. Fifteen per cent said they experienced discomfort when they did not consume an energy drink.
Health effects were also reported among older teenagers and young adults. Thirty per cent of respondents aged between 15 and 19 said they had experienced effects they associated with energy drink consumption, including problems sleeping, heart palpitations and dizziness. At the same time, one in three respondents said they wanted to reduce how much they consume.
Taste was the most commonly reported reason for drinking energy drinks, cited by 73 per cent of respondents. Fifty-one per cent said they drank them for energy, while 34 per cent said they used them to stay awake. The study also found that boys reported drinking energy drinks more frequently than girls.
“The study sends a strong warning signal that far too many young people are dependent on energy drinks to get through day-to-day life,” Nordic Council of Ministers Secretary General Karen Ellemann said. She connected the consumption patterns with wider concerns around young people’s mental health and education.
Consumption varied considerably between the Nordic countries. Sweden recorded the highest levels in the study, with 28 per cent of respondents reporting daily consumption and 75 per cent saying they drank energy drinks at least once a week.
Denmark was at the other end of the range. Fourteen per cent of Danish respondents reported daily consumption, while 43 per cent said they drank energy drinks weekly. In Norway, 18 per cent reported daily consumption and just over half said they consumed energy drinks at least once a week.
Iceland recorded a weekly consumption rate of 46 per cent. Researchers, however, advised caution when interpreting the Icelandic findings because the country had a smaller sample than the other countries included in the study.
The research was led by the Swedish Food Agency in cooperation with public authorities from across the Nordic region. Rather than ending with the publication of the survey results, the work is expected to continue into the policy process.
A second phase is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026 and will bring young people into panels tasked with developing proposals aimed at reducing energy drink consumption. Policy recommendations are expected in summer 2027.
The figures present a regional picture in which energy drinks are being introduced to young people at an increasingly early age and, for many, becoming a regular part of daily routines. The particularly early starting age reported by Finnish respondents also places the country’s consumption patterns among the issues likely to receive attention as the Nordic countries consider how to respond.
