CityLife

Coca-Cola launches rival to Red Bull

COCA-COLA is launching a new energy drink which contains the same percentage of caffeine as rival Red Bull.

Called Relentless, it has 32mg of caffeine per 100ml and comes in 500ml cans.

The fruit-flavoured drink is aimed at 18-34-year-olds involved in action sports or who have active lifestyles.

The product has caused concern among some retailers because of its caffeine content and large can size, according to a report in trade magazine Marketing Week.

Red Bull's "slim" cans contain 250ml of liquid - half as much as the new Coca-Cola product.

Relentless is made with sugar, caffeine, taurine, guarana, glucoronolactone, and B vitamins.

The product's head of marketing Sean Uprichard said the new brand's image was inspired by action sport and modern punk rock.

"We hope to engage consumers with a highly experiential and motivating brand launch inspired by the attitude and artistry found within the world of core action sport and modern punk rock," he said.

Coca-Cola said the Relentless packaging clearly showed how much caffeine was contained in each can.

Product labels also include a caution making clear that Relentless is not suitable for children, pregnant women and those sensitive to caffeine, the company said.

The new energy drink goes on sale this month priced from é1.09 for a 500ml can.