Kazakhstan bans junk food and sugary drinks in schools by 2025

Kazakhstan is tightening rules around food and drink sales to improve child health. From September 2025, schools will ban sugary drinks, fast food, and high-sugar meals. The move follows concerns over unsafe products and rising health issues linked to poor diets.

One recent change already in place is a ban on selling energy drinks to anyone under 21. This comes as nearly 70% of Kazakh teenagers consume these drinks at least once a month, raising alarms about long-term health risks.

In 2024, Kazakhstan reported 24 cases of mass child poisonings tied to candies and drinks. While no direct link to small shops near schools has been confirmed, concerns remain about unregulated sales of processed foods with unclear ingredients. Many of these products are sold in neighbourhood stores, which currently face little oversight due to a moratorium on inspections for small businesses.

The government's new school meal standards, starting in September 2025, will cut sugar and remove carbonated drinks and fast food from menus. Officials also point to chronic health problems—over 60% of non-communicable diseases in the country are linked to poor diets. To tackle unsafe products, experts suggest adopting digital labelling and traceability systems, similar to those used in the U.S. and EU, where every item can be tracked from production to sale. Despite these steps, no specific checks on products sold near schools have been announced. The focus remains on broader reforms to improve food safety and reduce health risks for children.

The upcoming school meal rules mark a shift toward healthier eating for Kazakh students. With energy drink sales restricted and new standards in place, authorities aim to lower sugar intake and prevent food-related illnesses. The success of these measures may depend on stricter oversight of products sold outside schools and clearer tracking of food sources.