Sale of popular Prime energy drink 'not legal' in Denmark
Sales of the ‘Prime’ energy drink, made popular by social media influencers, are illegal in Denmark, the Nordic country’s Veterinary and Food Administration has stated.
The agency has advised five different companies in the last week to cease selling the imported product, it said in a statement.
The drink can include ingredients not approved for sale in Denmark because they have not been given the relevant health approvals.
“If a product has not been reviewed then it is not legal to sell it in Denmark,” head of department Henrik Dammand Nielsen with the Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) said in the statement.
Prime energy drinks contain a higher quantity of caffeine than Danish standards permit, according to the agency. The maximum caffeine content for energy drinks is 32 milligrams per 100 millilitres.
“If a producer such as Prime adds more vitamins, minerals, amino acids or caffeine than is allowed, there will be a risk to the consumer,” Nielsen said.
“That’s why it’s a requirement that products with additives are reviewed so the Veterinary and Food Administration can ensure harmful products don’t enter the market,” he said.
Prime has seen huge demand in other countries including the United States and UK after it was promoted and popularised by Logan Paul and KSI, social media influencers with huge followings.
Sales of the drink on secondary markets can reach prices several times higher than the regular retail cost.
Local media TV2 Kosmopol last week quoted a police officer who said that customers “shouted and screamed and disturbed traffic” outside a store in Copenhagen where free samples of Prime were being offered.
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The agency has advised five different companies in the last week to cease selling the imported product, it said in a statement.
The drink can include ingredients not approved for sale in Denmark because they have not been given the relevant health approvals.
“If a product has not been reviewed then it is not legal to sell it in Denmark,” head of department Henrik Dammand Nielsen with the Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) said in the statement.
Prime energy drinks contain a higher quantity of caffeine than Danish standards permit, according to the agency. The maximum caffeine content for energy drinks is 32 milligrams per 100 millilitres.
“If a producer such as Prime adds more vitamins, minerals, amino acids or caffeine than is allowed, there will be a risk to the consumer,” Nielsen said.
“That’s why it’s a requirement that products with additives are reviewed so the Veterinary and Food Administration can ensure harmful products don’t enter the market,” he said.
Prime has seen huge demand in other countries including the United States and UK after it was promoted and popularised by Logan Paul and KSI, social media influencers with huge followings.
Sales of the drink on secondary markets can reach prices several times higher than the regular retail cost.
Local media TV2 Kosmopol last week quoted a police officer who said that customers “shouted and screamed and disturbed traffic” outside a store in Copenhagen where free samples of Prime were being offered.
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