How viral trend is getting kids hooked on caffeine-filled Prime energy drinks
A black market for Prime energy drinks, which contain six times more caffeine than a can of coke, has taken off in Victorian schools.
Victoria
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A black market for Prime energy drinks packed with caffeine is thriving in schools, with students paying up to $30 for a $10 drink.
The product is not recommended for children or pregnant women due to the high amount of caffeine, but students are buying and selling bottles at inflated prices at schools and through social media channels.
The drink, which contains 200mg of caffeine, was created by YouTube personalities Logan Paul and KSI, and become a viral trend which sold out in minutes.
With six times more caffeine than the average can of coke, the product has been slammed by health experts.
A second Prime hydration drink is just as popular and is also attracting criticism over its high levels of artificial sweeteners and salt.
Footage shared on social media shows chaotic scenes at supermarket check-outs as customers desperately try to get their hands on the sports drinks. Videos feature shoppers queuing for hours outside supermarkets and fighting over the product in the aisles.
Dheepa Jeyapalan, Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems Manager from VicHealth, said energy and sports drinks could contain high amounts of caffeine, sugar and salt.
“They’re completely unnecessary for a healthy diet and can harm our kids’ health,” she said.
“We know drink companies often use social media and influencers to target their marketing to kids. We need to set higher standards for digital marketing to protect our kids from being targeted with advertising for products that can harm their health.”
A spokesman for the Department of Education said the canteens and healthy eating policy states that energy drinks should never be supplied in government schools.
“Healthy eating is a key component of the Victorian curriculum – students learn to critically interpret product information on food and drink labels so they can make healthier dietary choices,” he said.
However, a teen from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, 18, told the Sunday Herald Sun he was travelling up to “three hours” to buy bottles of Prime.
“The drink legitimately tastes really good and it makes me feel hydrated. I also like it because it doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like some other sports drink,” he said. “The only Prime drinks I have are the ones without caffeine and I think that’s why they are so popular among gym-goers.
“I do think it’s a trend right now, but I do hope it’s here to stay.”
On eBay the popular sports drink is also being sold for $240 for a pack of 12.
Paul and KSI promote the drinks on their social media channels, where they have more than 400 million followers across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
The company also had more than $250m in retail sales last year. It was announced last week that Prime had signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
“Together, we are a global powerhouse,” Paul said in a statement.
The partnership will debut at the UFC’s upcoming event in Australia in February.
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