Red Bull has denied a published report that it plans to launch its recently-released energy shots in the United Kingdom.
“We have not launched Red Bull Energy Shot in the UK, nor have we announced plans to do so at this point,” said Red Bull spokeswoman Patrice Radden.
Her statement counters a claim in an article published Wednesday on the website the for the U.K.’s Marketing Magazine. The writer called Red Bull’s decision to launch the product in the U.K. “a clear indication of the potential growth within [energy shots],” but he never cites a source for his claim that Red Bull has planned a release.
If Red Bull does introduce the shot in the U.K., though, it may encounter a friendlier marketplace than that in the U.S. Stateside, first-mover 5-Hour Energy, launched in 2004, already claims $77 million in annual sales in major convenience channels, according to A.C. Nielsen. Its nearest competitor, NVE Pharmaceutical’s Stacker 2 6 Hour Power, claims about $13 million in the same channel.
By contrast, the U.K.’s energy shot leader, Quick Energy from U.S.-based Viva Beverages, only debuted earlier this year.
Red Bull revealed its shot to U.S. audiences in April, and, Radden said, has yet to complete its American roll-out. The product will have complete, nation-wide distribution by the end of this month, she said.