report on awareness level of energy drinks’ side effects

IU IQRA UNIVERSITY

Awareness Level of Energy Drinks’ Side Effects

Research Report

Thursday, May 06, 2010Thursday, May 06, 2010

Research Methods (Thursday 6 to 9 PM)

Instructor: Sir. Faisal Qureshi

Group Members:

Muhammad Zubair (#7971)Ahsan Bham (#8106)Muhammad Arsalan (#7989)Mehlan (#8117)

II

Letter of AuthorizationThursday, May 06, 2010

Dear Reader:

As authorized by our teacher Sir Faisal K. Qureshi, we decided to do a

research report on the awareness level of energy drinks’ side effects.

This report contains complete information about the energy drink products

available and industry. Also included in this report is a detailed analysis of

the ingredients used in the product and their probable side effects. All

information is presented in a very simple manner, for the interest of a

common reader.

This report consists of genuine and complete source of information on the

product and the respondents. You may contact us for further queries or

comment us on our work.

Sincerely,

M. Zubair (#7971)

M. Arsalan (#7989)

Mehla (#8117)

Ahsan Bham (#8106)

III

Letter of TransmittalThursday, May 06, 2010

Sir Faisal K. Qureshi

Faculty Member, Research Methods

Iqra University, Defence View

Karachi

Dear Mr. Qureshi:

We are submitting here our term report on the awareness level of

consumers regarding energy drinks’ side effects. Initial pages of this

report also contain the brief information about the products, its

ingredients, and its industry.

All the information provided in the report is comprehensively discussed

with a satisfactory background of valid facts and figures.

If there are any questions or queries you have about the material presented

in this report, we will be extremely glad to appear before you.

Sincerely,

M. Zubair (#7971)

M. Arsalan (#7989)

Mehla (#8117)

Ahsan Bham (#8106)

IV

AcknowledgementDear Reader:

With the blessings of ALLAH the almighty, the report enclosed has

reached its stage of final completion. This report is a result of exhaustive

and much enthusiastic work. We extend our heartiest thanks to Sir Faisal

K. Qureshi, for conducting this course and making it interesting and

knowledgeable, without her efforts and co-operation the report would not

have been possible. We also thank for her confidence and trust she had in

us, importance of which can in no way be under estimated.

We are equally grateful to Iqra University for providing us the

opportunities to pursue our endeavor. We also appreciate the students of

Iqra University, who assisted us in providing us all the necessary

information and feedback that we required for completing this task.

We hope readers of this report can complement the depth of the study and

efforts put into it .

Thanking You

Sincerely,

M. Zubair (#7971)

M. Arsalan (#7989)

Mehla (#8117)

Ahsan Bham (#8106)

V

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis research report, is a part of our term project, is conducted by the team members.

The sole purpose of the report was to analyze the awareness level of energy drinks and

their side effects among the students and professionals. The report is prepared under

the impression that it will help us in develop rational grounds to verify whether there is

awareness among the consumers of energy drinks’ side effects.

Initially, there is a brief introduction and background about the research being

conducted. Afterwards, we have elaborated the historical background and prevailing

situation in the industry of energy drinks. The findings of the report consist of data that

is analyzed and interpreted on the basis of statistical inferences. In the conclusion

group members have made series of recommendation regarding the energy drinks, their

side effects and awareness among the consumer.

Towards the purpose of accomplishing the task of carrying out the above stated

research, a proposal report was submitted initially. Later as stated in the research

methodology, the data was collected from the defined sample size. Direct meetings and

questioners remained the main focus of this research. The statistical analysis and the

final draft of observation and recommendations were composed by the group members

based on the research proposal.

Table of Contents1 Introduction and Background.......................................................................................1

1.1 Industry Overview.................................................................................................3

1.2 Major Players.........................................................................................................5

2 Literature Review..........................................................................................................7

3 Problem Statement:.....................................................................................................13

3.1 Research Question...............................................................................................13

3.2 Research Objectives............................................................................................13

3.3 Research Variables..............................................................................................14

4 Purpose........................................................................................................................14

4.1 Objectives............................................................................................................14

4.2 Scope....................................................................................................................14

4.3 Hypothesis............................................................................................................15

4.4 Methodology........................................................................................................15

5 Results.........................................................................................................................15

6 Findings.......................................................................................................................25

7 Recommendations.......................................................................................................27

8 Conclusion...................................................................................................................28

9 Annexure.....................................................................................................................29

Research Methods – Thursday, May 06, 2010Awareness Level of Energy Drinks’ Side Effects

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11 Introduction and BackgroundIntroduction and BackgroundThe report helps us analyze whether the consumer has a high level of awareness

regarding side effects of energy drinks Energy drink promises to energize the spirit, body

and mind to release the latent energy within youngsters. Due to the fast growing

environment the trends are changing continuously and Consumer is trying to follow the

western culture rapidly. Lately, consumption of energy drink has become a fashion

statement. Since the lifestyle in urban areas have changed drastically within the past

few years, with the passage of time usage of energy drinks is increasing in Pakistan.

Male and female both are using energy drinks now. Energy drinks got their own side

effects as well. These circumstances motivated team members to study the awareness

about and the side effects of energy drinks among the university students and

professionals.

Team members conducted this research in order to come to know about the awareness

of energy drinks among the consumers and also to check their awareness level. Energy

drinks are soft drinks advertised as being specifically designed to provide energy. The

amount of quantitative 'energy' (as measured in Calories) found in these drinks is often

lower than that found in regular soft drinks and currently there is no scientific basis for

concluding that the non-caffeine elements in these drinks contribute to either short-

term mental alertness or physical performance.

The drinks include a variety of ingredients in different combinations: plant-based

stimulants like gaurana, herbs like ginkgo and ginseng, sugar, amino acids including

taurine as well as vitamins. But the main active ingredient is caffeine.

Loaded with sugar and short on protein they give the body a quick lift without

providing any real nourishment. The lift soon gives way to a letdown and you feel


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hungrier than before. This can be the beginning of the vicious cycle. In real terms

energy drinks do not provide lasting energy. They artificially and temporarily cover

the human weaknesses and boost cognitive and physical performance temporarily.

Humans are not naturally lethargic or sluggish. Sluggishness is brought about due to

lack of sleep, a poor diet, stress etc. Thus, when humans rely on energy drinks to boost

performance they are actually neglecting the root causes and covering up the problems

temporarily. This in turn can be the beginning of a vicious cycle whereby temporal

fitness is achieved at the expense of real sustainable health and fitness. These

beverages also contain herbs that may have been grown with pesticides. Moreover,

they add toxins to your body, which has to work harder in order to expel them.

Excessive use of energy drinks before physical activity is more likely to have a

negative impact on the performance and the health of the participant. Additionally, the

risks of high blood pressure, anxiety, shaking, elevated heart rate and increased urine

discharge (which in turn increases the risk of dehydration) are associated with high

intakes of such energy drinks. Caffeine boosts the levels of free fatty acids and an

increase in the blood level of the hormone. Moreover high intake of caffeine has been

linked to the damaging of blood vessels and a loss of aortic elasticity.

High caffeine consumption is associated with chronic daily headaches, particularly

among young women and among those with chronic episodic headaches and of recent

onset. Central nervous system, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and renal dysfunction

have been associated with chronic caffeine ingestion. In sum, the caffeine in energy

drinks will provide the consumer the desirable effects of increased alertness, improved

memory, and enhanced mood. However, caffeine can have harmful physical

consequences.


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1.1 Industry OverviewThe energy drink industry is a smart industry that is continually developing,

expanding, and using innovative marketing techniques. As a whole, the industry caters

to a younger market, and some energy drink brands aim their products at a health-

conscious crowd. The primary target for the majority of energy drink companies is

male teenagers and young Consumer, mostly in the 20s age bracket. It is a small

segment of society and seemingly very tight market, but these potential consumers

have so far been exceptionally receptive to energy drink products. The energy drink

industry is not dominated by large, giant companies like the soft-drink industry, but

instead characterized by stiff competition between an increasing number of smaller

companies, all catering to a very select consumer base.

In 1995, PepsiCo launched Josta, the first energy drink introduced by a major US

beverage company. In Europe, energy drinks were pioneered by Dietrich Mateschitz,

an Austrian entrepreneur who developed Red Bull based on the Thai drink Krating

Daeng, itself based on Lipovitan. Red Bull was introduced to the US in 1997 and is the

dominant brand there, with a market share of approximately 47%.

Many energy drink companies are directing their products at very specific groups of

consumers, such as extreme sports enthusiasts, video game players, or the hip-hop

crowd. In fact, many of the names of the beverages clearly relate to one of these areas.

Little, if any, advertising for most of these energy drinks is done with television ads. A

good number of the companies sponsor extreme events and publicity stunts to promote

awareness of their product to the desired consumer group. In addition to sponsoring

public events, such as extreme sporting contests or video game championships, other

energy drink companies rely on celebrity endorsements to promote their beverages.


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Since 2002, the energy drink industry has focused its market on the young generation

as a way to stay up to get your studies completed or to work late hours. There have

been many creative efforts in packaging to get Consumer to buy energy drinks and take

advantage of this growing market. They increased the number of servings per container

and made concentrated energy shots.

More than 500 new energy drinks were launched worldwide in 2006 and beverage

companies are reaping the financial rewards of the 5.7 billion dollar energy drink

industry. Energy drinks, including Red Bull, Amp, Monster, Rock Star, Rip It, Full

Throttle, and Cocaine, are designed to give the consumer a "jolt" of energy provided

by the combination of stimulants and "energy boosters" that they provide, including

caffeine, herbal extracts such as gaurana, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba, B vitamins,

amino acids such as taurine, amino acid derivatives such as carnitine, and sugar

derivatives, including glucuronalactone and ribose.

In 2007 the energy drink industry introduced powders and effervescent tablets to be

added to water, which made them even more portable and convenient.

Recently, health risks involved with using these high-powered liquids is changing the

history of energy drinks. The use of natural energy drinks is starting to be a more a

more popular solution. These drinks do not contain the stimulants associated with

dangerous energy drinks. They are safe and have healthy ingredients that promote

well-being. It is predicted that by 2010 the energy drink industry will reach 10 billion

dollars.


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1.2 Major PlayersBecause of the growing craze over energy drinks, the number of energy drink brands

has been increasing steadily as everyone wants to take advantage of the expanding

market. The demand for energy drinks could be a direct result of Consumer’s lives

becoming busier. As Consumer fill their lives to capacity and then add even more

responsibilities, the daily schedules can become quite overwhelming, leaving little

time for rest, relaxation, or sleep.

All of this activity causes stress and fatigue, but there is no time to stop for a moment

and recharge the batteries. As a result, Consumer often turns to stimulants to keep

them going throughout the day and give them the energy they need to complete

everything they need to do. Energy drinks are one of the more popular “stimulants”

because they are quick and easy, and most have few recognizable negative side effects.

The number of energy drink brands is actually much greater than Consumer realize.

RedBull has been the dominant brand for many years, probably because it was one of

the first energy drinks developed. Word of mouth has been a big part of RedBull’s

advertising, and as a result, many of the other options have been hidden in RedBull’s

shadow.

Although there are many similarities between all the different energy drink brands,

there are obviously some differences. The primary difference that distinguishes many

energy drinks is the ingredient list. All energy drinks must contain something that

results in an increase of energy, but there are various ways to achieve this effect. All of

the energy drink brands experiment with their own unique mixture of ingredients,

adding higher concentrations of some and lower concentrations of others.


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In Pakistan with the increasing trends of using energy drinks number of brands

available are increasing. Generally, there is no manufacturer here. There are

distributors who import these ready to drink around the world. Main market to import

energy drinks is UAE, from there importers import in bulk and then distribute in their

target areas. OZO Switzerland is a beverage company with the most extensive

distribution system in the world. To distribute their product in Pakistan they have

granted the rights to Ghani Group of Industries. This is the only brand that distributors

import it directly from the manufacturer and they make its packaging accordingly then.

The majority of the sales are coming from urban areas where Consumer has greater

purchasing power and awareness of such drinks. Sales of energy drinks are limited in

rural areas although they are growing. Around 66% of the Pakistani population resides

in rural areas, but most do not buy energy drinks as they are too expensive.

Recently, PepsiCo introduced its brand of energy drink “Sting” in Pakistan. With the

advent of bombarding various brand of energy drink in the market like bomba, booster,

and OZO; Sheezan introduced its new brand of energy drink “Speed”. Energy drink

market being a very attractive market for business, many firms has decided to enter

this industry. There may be reservations about the quality of such products and what

kind of impact will it be making on the behavior of the youth. The major issue here is

the awareness of what is being marketed, whether the purpose of such a product is

explained in detail or will it be only composed to a fashion statement. In general, the

public opinion on the consumption of such beverages is not positive. Consumers do

abstain from its consumption, until there is an external influence or peer pressure

among teenagers. The price is also a highlighting factor in the Pakistani market.


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22 Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewA study by the American Heart Association found that healthy participants who drank

two energy drinks daily experienced blood pressure and heart rate increases. That

alone isn’t necessarily alarming, as healthy adults can usually handle a momentary

spike in blood pressure. But, for Consumer with cardiac issues, or if normally healthy

Consumer drink too much, there could be dangers.

A moderate amount of caffeine, about 2-3 cups of coffee a day, isn’t dangerous for

healthy adults. But when you start creeping up to about 500-600 mg of caffeine, or

between 4-7 cups, you run the risk of side effects such as anxiety, irritability,

sleeplessness, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and abnormal heart rhythms.

(Reissig, 2008)

The American Beverage Association says its members don’t market energy drinks to

teenagers. The intended audience is adults. Consumers who can actually afford these

expensive beverages are the intended buyers of the products.

One concern about the drinks is that because they are served cold, they may be

consumed in larger amounts and more quickly than hot coffee drinks, which are

sipped. Another worry is the increasing popularity of mixing energy drinks with

alcohol. The addition of caffeine can make alcohol users feel less drunk, but motor

coordination and visual reaction time are just as impaired as when they drink alcohol

by itself, according to an April 2006 study in the medical journal Alcoholism: Clinical

and Experimental Research. (Parker, 2008)

Caffeine also causes insomnia, so if you have trouble sleeping, the problem could be

caffeinated drinks. There are some energy drinks which have more caffeine than

coffee, which is the primary source of caffeine. Some students use caffeine to avoid


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sleepiness, so that they can keep studying throughout the night. Energy drinks won't

help you concentrate while studying, so don't believe the hype created by energy drink

manufacturers. Energy drinks can also make you feel tired and lazy and it becomes

difficult to concentrate after consuming energy drinks.

Some fitness freaks consume energy drinks before exercising, which can cause

dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Another energy drink side effect is that it is diuretic,

which causes the kidneys to get rid of extra water, that is, a person urinates more. This,

in addition to the fact that you lose water because you sweat during a workout, means

that you should not consume energy drinks while exercising. They won't help you lift

more weights or improve your stamina, so don't consider them as sport drinks.

(Deshpande, 2009)

Amidst their growing popularity there is a considerable amount of doubt concerning

their side effects on heath. Though they were introduced late in Pakistan, but today

there are a large variety of energy drink brands in the country. The sale of these drinks

has been gaining momentum and more and more Consumer want to try them out (that’s

what is called The Bandwagon Effect in business studies). However, a number of these

ignorant Consumers are not taking an important fact into consideration and that is the

side effect of these drinks. This is an important issue that must be addressed promptly

Though the names are different but almost all of the energy drinks have similar

ingredients. The primary components are caffeine and sugar (in the form of glucose,

sucrose and glucuronalactone). Other popular ingredients are herbal supplements,

vitamins, amino acids (such as taurine) and gaurana (a South American berry which

has a stimulant effect similar to that of caffeine). (Malik, 2005)


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Taurine is probably fine in small doses, but chug too many energy drinks and the

picture become less clear. According to a recent case report from St. Joseph's Hospital

in Phoenix, Arizona, three Consumers had seizures after drinking approximately two

24-ounce energy drinks in a short period of time. However, the researchers don't know

whether to blame the taurine or the caffeine, or what role preexisting health conditions

may have played.

The fact is that there's been little research on taurine consumption in humans, so it's

impossible to conclude whether it's safe to consume in high doses. Of course, there's

no strong evidence to support its role as an energy booster, either. (Loeb, 2009)

Using energy drinks is a popular practice among college students for a variety of

situations.

Although for the majority of situations assessed, users consumed one energy drink

with a reported frequency of 1 – 4 days per month, many users consumed three or more

when combining with alcohol while partying. Further, side effects from consuming

energy drinks are fairly common, and a significant dose effect was found with jolt and

crash episodes. Future research should identify if college students recognize the

amounts of caffeine that are present in the wide variety of caffeine-containing products

that they are consuming, the amounts of caffeine that they are consuming in various

situations, and the physical side effects associated with caffeine consumption.

(Malinauskas, Aeby, & Overton, 2007)

Super-caffeinated energy drinks, with names like Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and

Amp, have surged in popularity in the past decade. About a third of 12- to 24-year-olds

say they regularly down energy drinks, which account for more than $3 billion in

annual sales in the United States.


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The trend has been the source of growing concern among health researchers and school

officials. Around the country, the drinks have been linked with reports of nausea,

abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. (Parker, 2008)

The primary effect of caffeine is to relieve fatigue and enhance mental performance.

Excessive ingestion leads to a state of intoxication known as caffeinism, which is

characterized by restlessness, agitation, excitement, rambling thought and speech, and

insomnia. These symptoms clearly overlap with those of many psychiatric disorders.

The potential harmful effects of caffeine have long been recognized. (Winston,

Hardwick, & Jaberi, 2005)

Sports drinks provide electrolytes and a high concentration of carbohydrates which are

beneficial for the athlete’s body and performance. Energy drinks do not provide

electrolytes, and have a higher likelihood of an energy “crash-and-burn” effect.

Caffeine in energy drinks can excrete water from the body which can lead to

dehydration. If the body is dehydrated by 1%, performance is decreased by up to 10%.

(Sport Diet Dilemmas, 2009)

One can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine - equivalent to one cup of coffee. Three

years ago, Ross Cooney, 18, from Ireland, died after he shared four cans of Red Bull

and played in a basketball match. An inquest into his death ruled that he died from

Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

Lyondell Contain, a dietician, said: 'The problem with caffeine is that the effects can

vary, so it is difficult to say what a safe level is. High levels of caffeine can be

dangerous for Consumer with high blood pressure or anxiety disorders. Not much is

known about taurine and glucuronalactone, but high levels of them could affect the

body.' (Nordqvist, 2004)


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Energy drinks all try to stimulate something in your body that leads to your awakening

and feeling as though you have more energy. One big mistake that most Consumer

make is that energy drinks will have the same effect on them, regardless of the choice

of drink, and ignoring an individual’s unique body chemical make-up.

Since consumption of energy drinks is so prevalent among youth and frequently

associated with raves and the nightclub scene, many wonder about their addictive

properties. In fact, the only truly addictive part of energy drink ingredients appears to

be caffeine. So if you drink enough cans, you may become addicted to caffeine and

ultimately suffer from the effects of the addiction. (BrianX, 2004)

Drug Education in UK, which delivers drug-awareness classes in schools, warned that

the drinks could make pupils disruptive and hyperactive.

The makers of energy drinks have say that their products can boost concentration,

contain about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee and are not aimed at

children.

Energy drinks are designed to increase mental awareness and physical performance. If

you were to drink energy drinks the psychological effects that you might experience

would include; decreased memory, increased alertness, and a head rush.

There are many long term effects of drinking energy drinks. Addiction is one of them.

Being addicted to anything is very dangerous. When you try to quit drinking these

drinks you will experience withdrawal symptoms if you are addicted. Energy Drinks

must be taken properly because if not it can affect your body. Energy drinks could also

lead to cavities, kidney failures, heart problems, skin problems, and other organ

problems.


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Your heartbeat and blood pressure can also be affected by the ingredients in energy

drinks. The sugar will make them skyrocket. Never use energy drinks during a physical

activity. The caffeine in your energy drink will leave a dehydrated feeling.

The consumption of energy drinks may increase the risk for caffeine overdose in

caffeine abstainers as well as habitual consumers of caffeine from coffee, soft drinks,

and tea. The potential for acute caffeine toxicity due to consumption of energy drinks

may be greater than other dietary sources of caffeine for several reasons:

(1) Lack of adequate labeling: As mentioned earlier, many energy drinks do not label

their product with the amount of caffeine, and are not required to display warning

labels advising proper use. Consumers may be completely unaware of the amount of

caffeine they are ingesting.

(2) Advertising: Many energy drinks are marketed with claims of performance

enhancing effects although the existence and extent of such effects is subject to debate.

Red Bull, for example, advertises several benefits of consumption including improved

performance, endurance, concentration and reaction speed, and increased metabolism.

Consumers may falsely believe that “more is better” and ingest multiple servings of

these products. As an added risk, some energy rinks encourage rapid consumption of

their products.

(3) Consumer demographics: Since there are no restrictions on the sale of energy

drinks, adolescents and children (who may be inexperienced and less tolerant to the

effects of caffeine) may be at an increased risk for caffeine intoxication. (Reissig,

Strain, & Griffiths, 2008)


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33 Problem Statement:Problem Statement:The purpose is to analyze the awareness level of consumers at Iqra University

regarding energy drinks’ side effects.

3.1 Research Question What is the level of awareness among consumers about energy drink?

3.2 Research Objectives How many times usually a respondent consumes an energy drink?

What are the different energy drink companies in the market?

Which brand they prefer in energy drinks?

What is the reason for preference of that brand?

Is the energy derived from consumption related to satisfaction level?

What is the consumption and awareness level among male and female?

Any side effect due to use of energy drink?

What is the level of awareness regarding ingredients of energy drinks?

Who are more aware students or professionals?

What age group is more aware about side effects of energy drinks?

Is the recommendation based on the satisfaction level of the consumer?

What are the most commonly experiences side effects?


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3.3 Research Variables

The variables of the research will be:

Consumers’ awareness about energy drinks

Consumers’ awareness about ingredients of the different brands

Consumers' awareness about abnormalities caused by energy drinks

Consumers’ frequency of consumption of energy drinks

Consumers’ reason for choice of their preferred brand of energy drinks

Consumers’ attitude towards consumption of energy drinks

Consumers’ urging to consume energy drinks

Age dominance in awareness level

Gender dominance in awareness level

Status dominance in awareness level

44 PurposePurpose

4.1 ObjectivesTo assess how aware consumers are about energy drinks, frequency of consumption,

and the level of awareness regarding the ingredients of energy drinks and their side-

effects.

4.2 ScopeThe findings of this study will be applicable to the regular energy drink consumers

who are completely aware about the products attributes and features.


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4.3 HypothesisH0: Consumers do NOT have a high level of awareness regarding side effects of energy drinks.

H1: Consumers have a high level of awareness regarding side effects of energy drinks.

H0: Consumers do NOT assign a high level of importance to the side effects of energy drinks.

H1: Consumers assign a high level of importance to the side effects of energy drinks.

4.4 MethodologyThe data will be collected through primary sources by surveying Iqra University

Main/EDC campus & secondary data from the internet.

SAMPLING UNIT: The sample unit consists of professionals & students at Iqra

University, with a consistent level of energy drink consumption.

SAMPLE SIZE: A sample of 150 Consumer in Iqra University will be drawn.

55 ResultsResultsIn Pakistan, the advent of energy drink is a recent highlight of a urban city dwellers

daily life. Energy drink, as the name suggests, is a beverage that can be used for an

instant energy boost. The pace at which people in the city are functioning creates

exhaustion and makes them lethargic to work energetically. There is a need of sum

supplement that can improve their performance capabilities. Energy drinks provides

that solution, but the question arises that what causes such a boost. Apart from natural

ingredients used to enhance performance, artificial or medicated toxins are also being

used in such drinks which may have adverse effects. Now we might need to know

whether or not the consumer is aware of such aspects, do they give weightage to such

elements or are they indifferent to it.


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We will start our discussion by testing our first hypothesis where we will be testing the

awareness level of consumers regarding energy drinks’ side effects. We asked our

respondents whether they were aware of the ingredients’ side effects used in the energy

drinks. In response to the question we found that only half of the consumers were

aware of the ingredients side effects.

At significance level of 95%, we can accept our null hypothesis that consumers do

NOT have a high level of awareness regarding side effects of energy drinks. Based on

such results we can deduce that consumers are neither informed nor intrigued by the

ingredients used in the energy drinks.


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Next, we test the second hypothesis which predicts that consumers don’t give any

importance to side effects of energy drinks. This can be tested by taking into account

the level of consumption and awareness about his preferred brand of energy drink. The

table below explains whether there is any association between the consumption pattern

and awareness level of energy drinks.

In the classification table, we can see

that 56.5% of consumers who are aware

of the ingredients used in their preferred

brand of do not consume energy drink regularly. Similarly in the case where 76% of

consumers who are not aware of the ingredients used in their preferred brand of energy

drinks still don’t consume it regularly. The reason for this phenomenon can be the

price factor. Where even with no awareness of the ingredients used, consumers are

hesitant to buy such an expensive beverage as a source of refreshment.

At a confidence level of 95%, the test is insignificant and we can accept our null

hypothesis that consumers do NOT assign a high level of importance to the side effects

of energy drinks.

No we will study the different dimensions of the consumer based on the demographics

and other importance attributes which were taken as response from the consumers


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through our questionnaire. By doing this we will be fulfilling our research objectives

which we have stated in the previous section of the report.

In the following table we have are testing whether age group of the consumer is

associated with the consumption of the energy drinks. As we discussed earlier, the

target market for the energy drink is mainly adults above the age of 24.

In the classification table, it shows that the

consumer who are above 23 years of age consumes relatively more than the rest. Based

on the percentages there is an increased level of consumption in adults, but there are a

few heavy drinkers in below 23 years of age bracket. The reason for this might be

teenagers are more concerned about their social status or they like to be active for

prolonged hours.

At 95% confidence interval, the test is insignificant which means that consumption is

not associated with age groups.


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In the classification table we can study that males consumes more the energy drink

than females. At confidence level of 95%, the test is insignificant; there is no

association between gender and the consumption pattern.

The table above shows that group who give weight to taste for choosing a brand is

significantly high at 95% confidence interval. He we can infer that taste is an

important factor based on which the consumer chooses his option. The main reason is

the medicated odour due to the ingredients that may be used in it. Many companies

have introduced products that have better taste. Next to taste, weightage is also given

to the energy extension ability of the brand.


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In the above table it explains that the consumers are more satisfied with their preferred

brand when they get the desired energy on its consumption. 93.8% consumers who get

the source of energy from the preferred energy drink are highly satisfied; whereas,

85.7% of consumers who don’t get the energy from their preferred brand are

dissatisfied with it.

At a significance level of 95%, the null hypothesis in rejected and the level of

satisfaction is completely dependent upon whether the energy drinks provide the level

of energy that the consumer perceive the brand to provide on consumption.


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Here the table explains that consumers who are highly satisfied with their brand of

energy drink will recommend their friends and colleagues. 81.3% of consumers who

are highly satisfied said yes when asked to recommend their preferred brand of energy

drink. The reason might be it can be helpful while studying for a test in the night or

before any sports activity. And 57.1% of the consumers who were dissatisfied won’t

recommend the product to anyone.

At a 95% significance level, the null hypothesis is rejected; the opinion of

recommendation is completely dependent upon the level of satisfaction which is

derived from consumption of preferred brand of energy drinks.


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Neither status nor gender is associated with awareness of the ingredients used in

energy drinks at a confidence level of 95%. Therefore we can say that there is a

general perception of beliefs among the population but there is no precise detail about

the ingredients used in the energy drinks.


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Cross tabulation shows that 63.6% consumers above the 28 years of age are aware of

the ingredients used in the energy drinks. At a 95% significance level, there is no

association between the age and the awareness level of the consumers.

Significant side effects are Headache, B.P Disorder and Sleep disturbance.


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There are a significant number of consumers in a group who believes that consuming

energy drink before any particular physical or mental activity. Though they are not

addicted but still they believe that it will enhance their capabilities and be more alert to

cope with the situation they intend to be in. Here we can realize that the consumers are

fully aware of the purpose of the energy drink and they use it when it is required rather

than casual refreshment.

From the table above we can understand that the consumer is fully aware that regular

consumption of energy drink will cause serious damage to their health and will result

in physical abnormalities. Though there is no evident acceptance towards the fact that

there are side effects to it, but still consumer feels that if energy drinks are consumed

more frequently, it will affect their health. This can be because influential sources who

ask them not to consume energy drinks because it’s harmful to health, but still they

feel the urge to consume.


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66 FindingsFindingsFrom the whole research the team members have got following major findings

regarding the consumers of Iqra University

Concept of usage of energy drinks is there among the Consumer and almost one

third of the population like to have energy drinks.

Male are more aware about the energy drinks as compared to females.

Consumer does believe that energy drinks serve the purpose of providing them

energy. Other factors like status, showoff, taste etc do count but up to little

extent.

Consumers of Iqra University are partially familiar with the ingredients of the

energy drinks.

Adults of Iqra University are more familiar about the ingredients of the energy

drinks as compared to the teenagers.

The Consumer does know that energy boosters both artificial and natural are

used to re-boost their energy level.

They don’t know about the other key ingredients.

Consumers do agree that Caffeine builds various health hazards in their body.

Consumer doesn’t know about the effects of tuarine, gaurana and ginseng on

their health.

There is no manufacturer in the Pakistan.


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Limited numbers of brands are available in Pakistan, but recently new brands

are being introduced in the local market.

Available brands are being imported from UAE in ready to drink form.

There is no legal imposition over the import of energy drinks. And ministry of

health is taking no action to create awareness among the Consumer about the

side effects of the energy drinks.

Level of awareness among the Consumer of Iqra University is high because

mostly they are overseas and there awareness level about the energy drinks is

quite high.

Due to the lack of direct supply chain promotional activities about the energy

drinks are very less in number.

Because of the more work load over the students they are obliged to use such

artificial energy boosters.

Marketing campaigns launched by the different brands are misleading the

youngsters.


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77 RecommendationsRecommendationsDespite the limited science, we do know that energy drinks constitute a potential

danger to the health and safety of our communities, and particularly to our young

Consumer. We need not wait for more science to act:

Energy drinks should be vigorously opposed before the products become even

more popular

Health ministry should take actions in order to make Consumer aware about the

health hazards of the energy drinks focusing particularly on the impact on

underage drinking

Government should make a check upon the misleading advertising campaigns

and should take legal actions against them.

Campaigns should be encouraged in order to create awareness about natural

energy providers

Communities need to aggressively seek both voluntary action and government

action at all levels national, state, and local to protect our young Consumer

from harm. Action is urgently needed before energy drinks become further

entrenched in the marketplace, which in turn would create powerful economic

interests determined to maintain the country quo. These beverages are still in

development, with major marketing efforts undoubtedly now being devised by

the major producers.


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88 ConclusionConclusionTo conclude, we may say that the energy drink consumer are NOT fully aware of the

ingredients used in the energy drinks and are not affected by due it as well. There

consumption pattern is low not due to awareness of ingredient’s side effects but due to

certain other factors which may deter consumer to drink energy drink more regularly.

Though there is no pattern among demographics related to it consumption. But still a

prominent relation can be seen in the between the need for instant energy and the

satisfaction level. In turn the consumer will also recommend the product to his

colleague. There are also side effects to its consumption which needs be taken into

consideration.

Another important dimension that can be seen is the benefits which consumers feel

they can derive from its consumption and on the other hand they believe that there will

be some latent abnormalities that will occur in their bodies if they continue to consume

energy drinks at the same pace.

Lastly, I would like to add that anything excess above necessity can prove to be

harmful, if we use the product for the sole purpose for which it is marketed for, i.e. an

instant source of energy, rather than just a refreshment or a sign of social status. I

believe there can be no harm in a conventional consumption at time of need, such as,

studies or sports. Though, excess consumption of energy drink can prove to be fatal.


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99 AnnexureAnnexure

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report on awareness level of energy drinks’ side effects

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