Supermarkets nationwide have been plunged into chaos as a popular drink, Prime Hydration, has been rolled out gradually at Woolworths stores over the past week. Teenagers have been flocking to the stores to grab a bottle of the sought-after drink, resulting in scenes of pandemonium. Social media has been buzzing with activity as people try to locate stores with remaining stock, and video footage posted on TikTok shows crowds of teenagers crawling under a Woolworths door as it opens to grab the five bottles they are allowed to purchase.
The drink has become increasingly popular due to the promotion of popular YouTube sensations Logan Paul and KSI, both of whom are partial owners of the company that produces Prime Hydration. Its success is also partially attributed to its sponsorship deals with the English Premier League side, Arsenal, and the UFC.
The drink is sold in five flavors in Australia and is made up of around 10% coconut water. It is different from the Prime Energy version of the drink, which contains six times more caffeine than a can of Coca-Cola.
Some of the buyers of the drink do not even plan on consuming it, instead choosing to use the bottles as a social media prop. Others have seized the opportunity to resell the product on platforms like Facebook Marketplace for as much as fifteen dollars per bottle, and in some cases, even more for empty bottles.
Despite the frenzied demand for the product, Woolworths has assured its customers that it has plenty of supply to restock the shelves. However, they have requested that customers purchase only what they need, and that the drink can only be bought in-store and not online. The retail price of a bottle is $4.50, and a limit of five per transaction is enforced.
One shopper, Josh Woods, was among the teens who waited for the store to open on a Sunday morning. “I was there an hour early…when the centre doors opened, you could hear the rush of kids flow through the centre,” he said. He estimated that the number of people grew from 15 to around 150, and once the doors opened, chaos ensued. Kids pushed and crawled under the doors before charging through the store, and staff looked on helplessly as the store got flooded within seconds.
Prime Hydration has caused quite a stir among teenagers and social media users, as it has become a popular commodity due to its promotion by famous YouTube personalities and its sponsorship deals with popular sports teams. Despite the chaos and frenzy caused by the demand for the product, Woolworths has reassured customers that there is plenty of supply to restock, but they ask that people purchase only what they need.
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