The business ombudswoman spoke out against imposing a ban on the sale of energy drinks in the Sverdlovsk Region.

      Sverdlovsk Oblast business ombudsman Elena Artyukh explained the impact of the law banning the sale of energy drinks in the Middle Urals, which received approval from the relevant committee. Regional measures will supplement federal restrictions that come into force on March 1, 2026. However, the law still has to be finally adopted at the Legislative Assembly meeting on November 18.

      "The question is about the purpose of the regulation. There is no description of the problem that this regulation is intended to address. Given that sales to minors are already prohibited, labeling is being introduced and advertising is being restricted, these measures make no sense. The restrictions will affect 32,000 business entities in Sverdlovsk Oblast. The absence of an economic assessment of how the sales ban will affect these entrepreneurs," the business ombudsman was quoted as saying by a Ura.Ru correspondent.

      However, Artyukh did not gain support. As a result, the ban on the sale of energy drinks is planned for the following locations: on the premises of sports and educational institutions. But committee chairman Mikhail Kopytov added that this will not extend to territory not related to those institutions, for example, stores across the road. The ban will, however, apply inside such institutions themselves.