Red Bull’s free samples creating negative buzz

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This article was published 11/08/2010 (5715 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Red Bull appears to have run afoul of Health Canada’s rules by handing out free samples of its energy drink to underage students at a Winnipeg high school’s graduation party in June.

Health Canada spokesman Gary Holub wouldn’t say if his agency plans to investigate Red Bull, a beverage company that manufactures a popular but controversial caffeinated energy drink of the same name.

But he did say that Red Bull — and other caffeinated energy drink companies — are not allowed to market or give away their beverages to children under age 18. "The product, Red Bull, is licensed for use by adults only. Sampling of natural health products is not permitted," said Holub in an email to the Free Press.

Doctors from the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) call caffeinated energy drinks dangerous for children and youth. In an online editorial published July 26, they wrote that such products "have now crossed the line from beverages to drugs delivered as tasty syrups."

The CMAJ also criticized energy drink companies for targeting children and youth in their advertising.

Holub said if Health Canada finds that Red Bull has, indeed, given product samples to children attending the Kelvin High School grad, the company could face sanctions ranging from warning letters to removal of their products from store shelves for non-compliance with federal rules.

The mother of an underage teen who attended the Kelvin High School grad provided the Free Press with the Red Bull promotional package distributed at the party.

The package consists of a silver canister decorated with graduation caps. Inside were two free cans of Red Bull as well as a faux diploma that uses language that could appeal to youths.

"School’s out forever!," says the large certificate, decorated with an image of a flying bull.

A few sentences later, it reads, "…After all of the stress of these past weeks, the first thing you should do is take a flight up to party heaven.

"And Red Bull will give you the wings you need to get there."

Winnipeg School Division spokeswoman Linda Wilson said that the parent-led Kelvin safe grad committee decided the Red Bull packages would be given away at the school’s grad.

The event took place in June at Canad Inns Polo Park. Wilson said the Red Bull package was given to students as they left. Wilson said it was Canad Inns that approached the committee to ask them if they were interested in Red Bull’s offer of free samples on grad night.

The Kelvin safe grad committee chair declined an interview with the Free Press.

Toronto-based Red Bull spokesman Lubor Keliar refused to answer questions about who created the marketing material given away at the Kelvin grad. As well, he wouldn’t reveal how many high school graduations at which Red Bull has given away samples and advertising.

Keliar referred to an emailed statement he sent to the Free Press last week stating the company follows Health Canada labelling requirements and uses third-party vendors that market their products locally.

 

shamona.harnett@freepress.mb.ca