Alcohol can cause abnormal heart rhythms in the body, high blood pressure and can damage the heart muscle and cause other diseases such as strokes, liver problems and some cancers. Alcohol is also high in calories and can lead to weight gain and health-related issues in that sense (British Heart Foundation). Caffeine in large amounts can also have effects on the body and health, such as increased breathing and heart rate as well as increased mental activity and physical energy. The body can also become dependent on caffeine physically and psychologically and then feel withdrawal symptoms from it (Better Health Channel). Hence, excess levels of both can have adverse effects on health, especially young people. One 250ml can of Red Bull Energy Drink contains 80 mg of caffeine, about the same amount as in a cup of home-brewed coffee.

Red Bull Energy Drink is appreciated worldwide by top athletes, students, and in highly demanding professions as well as during long drives. The company stated that it recognised that while each element of the marketing and design of Dragon Soop was important, the overall impression was the most important element to avoid direct or indirect particular appeal to under-18s. A drink should not suggest any association with bravado, violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour – 3.2(b); The company explained that in 2015, Dragon Soop was fully investigated by the Independent Complaints Panel (Panel) under Code rules 3.2(f) and 3.2(h) which it found to not be in breach. The company highlighted that it had received a letter from the Chair of the Panel that there had not been any breach of the Code and that the decision was final.As an alliance, we have concerns around the drink ‘Dragon Soop’ and those similar. We at NIADA believe that this drink breaches numerous rules stated in the code of conduct including the Alcoholic content, Strength, Appeal to under 18s, Popularity, Anti-social behaviour and Sexual Success. Dragon Soop and other high caffeinated drinks such as ‘Screaming Devil’ and ‘Four Loko’ all raise our concerns as they have such high content of alcohol as well as caffeine and are heavily popularised and consumed by young people. Following a number of focus groups and consultations with young people we believe Dragon Soop to be the more popular drink of choice, so wish to move forward with an official complaint. The company noted that there were specific cues which had been defined by the Panel as possibly having a particular appeal to under-18s. ‘Bright, high contrast colours’ were an example and the company highlighted that many alcoholic brands featured colour schemes which could be described in this way. In contrast, the company explained that Dragon Soop was specifically designed not to be garish or particularly bright and that the different colours used throughout the range were to denote the various flavours within the range, as was common practice for flavoured alcoholic beverages. At NIADA we have serious concerns about these high caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, especially Dragon Soop, as so many young people are consuming this drink usually in large quantities. Our focus group concluded that while young people drink the cans, they also mix them with other substances. One 16-year-old female reported ‘they are sweet and fruity flavours they can be mixed with vodka’. It may be necessary to inform consumers that a product contains certain ingredients, for example high caffeine content, but this must be done in a factual and ‘non emotive’ way.” The company stated that it had respect for the work of specialist organisations like the Northern Ireland Alcohol and Drugs Alliance (NIADA) and supported the work it did to aid and educate the often vulnerable, under-privileged young people who were addicted to immoderate and dangerous behaviour with regard to substances and alcohol. However, the company stated that NIADA’s focus was narrow and specialised and its evidence that had been taken solely from its work with this particular group was not impartial.

The company then explained that since Dragon Soop had been launched in 2010 there had only been three complaints in the intervening 12 years (the complaint from 2015 which was considered against Dragon Soop Strawberry and Lime, which was found not to be in breach of the Code, and the other two which were currently subject to investigation.) The company stated that this was a remarkably low figure for a brand that sold 13.6 million cans per year. Heavy - Active for much of the day, walking non-stop and carrying objects. Typical jobs: hospital/ward nurse, waitressing in a busy restaurant, cleaner, porter, labourer/construction worker, gardener, farm worker. Leisure Activity Level The communication of the products’ alcoholic strength had been conveyed in a factual and proportionate way and there was nothing on the cans that placed undue emphasis on the products’ higher alcoholic strength or intoxicating effect(3.2(a) – emphasis of higher alcoholic strength). Moderately active - Do light to moderate intensity exercise 3-4 times a week. E.g. going to the gym / swimming / cycling / horse riding / dance classes / playing golf. Daily dog walking (brisk pace, twice a day). The company stated that NIADA seemed to make the general case that high strength alcohol in and of itself caused anti-social behaviour. However, the company stated that if this was true, a well-known vodka brand with a 37.5% ABV would be far more likely to cause excess drinking and anti-social behaviour than Dragon Soop at 7.5% ABV.Inactive - Do very little exercise, going for the occasional walk (moderate pace, low intensity). Spend majority of leisure time doing activities such as watching TV, playing computer games, on the internet, reading, cooking, driving, general household chores. The company stated that NIADA had made a number of unreliable observations, incorrect contentions and factual mistakes that the company wished to comment on.