BBC asked people in Cardiff if they knew the difference between Prime Energy and Prime Hydration
Concerns have been raised that Prime Energy Drinks are not clearly labeled with caffeine warnings to indicate that they are not suitable for children.
It is claimed that the caffeinated and decaffeinated versions of Prime are too similar in packaging.
Unlike Prime Hydrate, which does not contain caffeine, Prime Energy contains the same amount of caffeine as two cups of coffee.
We reached out to Prime, which is promoted by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul, for comment.
Earlier this month, Milton Elementary School in Newport sent a letter to parents warning them not to mix the two drinks after a student fell ill after school hours.
The launch of Prime Hydrate in the UK in early 2022 has resulted in long lines, struggling shoppers and even being the first to jump onto supermarket shelves.
KSI and Paul, who have more than 40 million YouTube followers between them, worked together to launch the energy drink version of Prime in the UK earlier this year.
Prime Energy contains 140mg of caffeine per can, which is the equivalent of two cups of coffee or a double espresso.
At the bottom of the back of the can is a warning that this drink is not recommended for children under the age of 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those sensitive to caffeine.
Cardiff-based nutritionist Aisling Piggott said: “We know that high caffeine intake is not recommended for children and young people.
image source, Getty Images
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“There are various guidelines for safe intake, and the general rule is about 3mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. So for most children, one can of Prime Energy is more than a ‘safe’ intake.” It will be.
He said studies in adults found that exceeding safe intakes resulted in poor concentration, affected sleep, and affected heart function.
Meanwhile, Dr Pravirendra Chatterjee, a marketing professor at Cardiff University, said Prime Energy believes caffeine warnings should be prominently displayed on the front of the cans.
He also commented that the design of the two products is very similar.
“We need to specifically mention that this contains a certain amount of caffeine and clearly mention that this is not suitable for children, some adults with medical conditions and pregnant women.” he said.
“This information should be placed prominently on the front, not on the back with other information such as calories or nutrition.
At the bottom of the back of the can is a Prime Energy warning stating that this product is not suitable for those under 18 years of age.
“Energy drinks should clearly state that they contain caffeine so that consumers can distinguish between products.”
But Chatterjee said Prime has no legal obligation to make caffeine more prominent.
“There are no hard and fast laws here, just recommendations, but ethically speaking, if you’re going to follow advice from regulators, you should have some information before that,” he said.
image source, Executive Education in Cardiff
Dr Pravirendra Chatterjee is a Lecturer in Marketing at Cardiff University.
Will the general public know the difference?
“What’s in the can is likely an energy drink, so it’s likely to have a high caffeine content,” said James Mayley, 31.
“I think the other is an isotonic drink, but I’m not sure.”
James Mayley correctly identified that canned prime contains caffeine
Anita O’Leary and Cathy Phillips, both 70, said they couldn’t tell the difference between the two drinks.
“Not except in cans and jars,” said Anita.
“Both have lemons and limes. Other than that, I don’t see any difference.”
Anita O’Leary (left) and Kathy Phillips (right) couldn’t tell the difference between the two drinks
Chatterjee said Prime may make changes to better differentiate the two products.
“We need to bring health information to the forefront to make sure consumers who choose it know it’s an energy drink,” he said.
“The general advice is that most consumers don’t read it, so don’t put important information at the very end.
“Think of a child. Even if they know it’s an energy drink, they may not know exactly what it is.
image source, Getty Images
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“In terms of product design, they can differentiate themselves and some of the market leaders do this.
“It shouldn’t be a big deal. From a marketing and branding perspective, it would be wise to make some changes to the energy drink design. It wouldn’t hurt the marketers.”
The BBC has reached out to Prime for comment.
