● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 negative
Red Bull funded research influenced energy drink policy decisions
Key points
- Red Bull funded academics to conduct favorable research.
- Researchers argued against energy drink restrictions.
- Suffolk County dropped a proposed ban on sales to minors.
- Red Bull flew academics and provided talking points for meetings.
Red Bull's Influence on Policy
A collaborative investigation found that Red Bull has funded university professors to conduct research favorable to the energy drink industry for over a decade. This funding included hundreds of thousands of dollars and involved flying academics to U.S. cities to meet with government officials considering restrictions on energy drinks.
Case Study: Suffolk County
In 2011, Suffolk County, New York, considered banning energy drink sales to minors. Three scientists, including a Dutch researcher and Red Bull's chief scientific officer, argued against the ban, stating there was no scientific basis for it. All three had received money or grants from Red Bull. Their arguments led to the proposed age limit being dropped.
Global Campaign
This incident in Suffolk County marked an early success for Red Bull in a global campaign to use scientific research to counter restrictions on its products. The company provided talking points to academics for their meetings with officials and funded a doctorate for a researcher.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
An investigation revealed Red Bull paid academics to produce research favorable to the energy drink industry, influencing policy decisions. This funding supported professors who argued against restrictions on energy drinks, including a proposed ban on sales to minors in Suffolk County, New York.