In France you can drink as many cups of coffee as you like, but you can’t drink Red Bull — because it contains too much caffeine.
Health concerns over the Red Bull energy drink were fueled again after Europe’s highest court upheld a French ban on the product.
The fizzy drink has been linked to several deaths and some experts have criticised its high levels of caffeine and other stimulants.
Red Bull is Britain’s best-selling energy drink, with 213 million cans consumed last year. It has been dubbed the ‘clubbers’ drink’, and is often mixed with vodka. The popular adverts claiming that Red Bull ‘gives you wings’, have led to the brand being described as ‘the Porsche of soft drinks’.
It contains caffeine, vitamins, and sugar which, the company claims, kick-starts the body’s metabolism and keeps people alert. But France has refused to authorise its sale, along with other vitamin-fortified foods such as Danone yoghurt and Kellogg’s cereals.
The European Commission (EC) challenged France’s ban after manufacturers complained it was inhibiting imports.
In a ruling, the European Court of Justice upheld the main part of the EC challenge, ordering France to lift the ban unless it could prove the health risks. But the court said that the French government did have a right to ban Red Bull.
The judges said that a study by the French Scientific Committee on Human Nutrition found that Red Bull contained excessive caffeine. The committee also raised concerns about the drink’s other ingredients – taurine, an amino acid the company claims can ‘kick-start’ the metabolism – and glucuronolactone, a carbohydrate.
Yes.. it’s forbidden.. but has that ever stopped the french?.. A lot of nightclubs in the south of france serve the famous “Vodka Redbull” cocktail. Presumably imported from spain by truckload. (some smaller shops sell it as well).
Just because it’s illegal, doesn’t mean it’s not available!