Monster is having a nightmare. But it’s nothing compared with what the parents of Anais Fournier have been through since the Maryland 14-year-old died last Christmas after drinking two 680ml cans of what the brand refers to as its ‘killer energy brew’ in a day. Now the Fourniers are suing Monster, whose products have reportedly been linked to five deaths in the US, claiming the company targets youngsters with no consideration of how their heavily caffeinated product can affect their health.
This tragedy should be a wake-up call to the UK industry. Over here, energy drinks manufacturers would never have racked up the £963m in sales they achieved last year [SymphonyIRI] without teenagers chugging huge volumes of their products. It’s a common sight: children on the morning march to school, a large Monster, Relentless or Red Bull in hand. Their belief is that the drinks will give them more than just wings: they’ll provide the energy and mental awareness they need to get through their six hours at school.
Yeah, right. Until now, surprisingly little attention seems to have been paid to the potentially detrimental effect these drinks could have on still-developing bodies. Is it really responsible to aim a product packed with sugar and caffeine at our children? Monster, which saw UK sales surge 50% to £58.4m last year, denies any link between its product and the death. Whether or not “the meanest energy supplement on the planet” (another unfortunate slogan) was responsible for Fournier’s untimely death, perhaps the family’s tragedy will provide the catalyst for a proper enquiry into the effects of energy drinks on our young people.
It’s long overdue.
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