Prime Hydration is the latest energy drink to take the beverage market by storm with youngsters desperate to get their hands on a bottle - but can they buy the hit drink? The beverage range launched by social media superstars KSI and Logan Paul has been flying off the shelves since it arrived in the UK back in June.
The only retailer in the country that regularly stocks the lucrative drink is Asda, with the supermarket selling out almost instantly. So much so that they are now limiting customers to only three bottles each to try and combat the popularity of the product, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Despite Asda being the only supermarket with the drink it has not stopped it appearing all over the country in smaller retailers. The product is sold for just £2 in Asda however resellers are selling for ten times that in corner shops and petrol stations.
And the bottles aren't only being resold in shops, as online marketplaces are rife with a wide variety of Prime for obscene amounts. Some bottles of the drink, which includes flavours such as Meta Moon and Tropical Punch, have been listed on sites such as eBay for £10,000.
The crazy buzz is making young people across the UK desperate for a taste but if they manage to stumble across any in their local Asda will they be able to buy it? Here is everything you need to know about your child buying an energy drink.
What are energy drinks?
According to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) the legal definition of energy drinks is dependent on the amount of caffeine per litre, with the threshold being 150mg of caffeine per litre.
If an energy drink has 150mg of caffeine per litre (mg/l) it must be labelled to say: "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.”
The label must also include the caffeine content of the product in mg per 100ml. Energy drinks differ from sports drinks which are specifically designed to help athletes and other active people hydrate before, during and after exercise.
Can someone under 16 buy energy drinks and do they need ID?
There are no legal age restrictions on the sale of any caffeine containing foods and beverages, including energy drinks in the UK. Likewise, there is no legal requirement for children under 16 years old to produce ID either.
However, stores can implement their own policies, restricting the sales of such products to children. Back in 2018, many supermarkets such as Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and Lidl all banned the sales of energy drinks to people under the age of 16.
Meanwhile there are advertising rules and regulations in place around energy drinks. Since 2010, the BSDA has operated a voluntary Code of Practice agreeing not to market or promote products to under 16s. However, due to the nature of the young fan bases of KSI and Logan Paul, Prime has slipped through the cracks of this code of practice.
Despite this Prime claim their website is not for anyone under 16 to access, with their website privacy policy stating: "Our Site is not intended for children under 16 years of age. No one under age 16 may provide any information to or on the Site.
"We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are under 16, do not use or provide any information on this Site.
"If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 16 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 16, please contact us at contact@drinkprime.com. "
Are energy drinks safe to drink?
British Soft Drinks Association said: "Energy drinks and their ingredients have been deemed safe by regulatory authorities around the world. Energy drink manufacturers have taken all possible steps to be clear about the suitability of energy drinks. Retailers, schools and parents all have a role to play in educating children about caffeine and sugar consumption from all sources."
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