# Why are energy drinks so !@#$%^& expensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849 "2016-07-01T03:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/1 "2016-07-01T03:22:10Z")
Thread title says it all. Local convenience store: 2 cans 24oz of 9.9% alcohol beer: $2.79 for 2 cans. 2 cans 16oz energy drinks: $3.50 WTF? Is making energy drinks that much more expensive than brewing beer? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/2 "2016-07-01T03:26:25Z")
People are willing to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/3 "2016-07-01T04:25:42Z")
Well duh. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/4 "2016-07-01T04:33:59Z")
Supply and demand. Seems your buying. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/5 "2016-07-01T04:42:28Z")
Because they taste so awful, manufacturers expect to sell very few of them. Accordingly, they sell them for a high price in order to not lose money. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/6 "2016-07-01T04:46:54Z")
Because they’re worth it! I’m down to about 8 a day, but never balked at buying up to15-20 in a day. Even when I do the math and realize how much I’m spending, I keep buying. **kaylasdad99** , just needs to find the right ones. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/7 "2016-07-01T04:49:18Z")
Oh, and 2 cans for $3.50 is a good deal, depending on the brand. Monsters are usually more expensive than that. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/8 "2016-07-01T04:50:20Z")
This is getting too sarcastic for me. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/9 "2016-07-01T04:50:47Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/10 "2016-07-01T04:52:32Z")
Check out Aldi. You can get a 4-pack of Red Thunder (their 5 Hour Energy knockoff) for something like $3. It doesn’t have quite the same amount of caffeine (138 mg vs 200 mg), but it’s pretty similar and what I use when I need a boost. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/11 "2016-07-01T05:10:52Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > This is getting too sarcastic for me. I’m not being sarcastic. pulykamel’s post about Red Thunder pretty much sums it up. What the hell is Red Thunder. Im sure it tastes horrible, which explains the cheaper price. Not everyone who drinks energy drinks does it solely for the caffeine. One could just take caffeine pills or even liquid caffeine for that matter. Some people are buying it for the taste as well. The is a huge diffefence between a Monster Rehab Pink Lemonade and an Amp or Rock Star. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/12 "2016-07-01T05:13:02Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > I’m not being sarcastic. pulykamel’s post about Red Thunder pretty much sums it up. What the hell is Red Thunder. Im sure it tastes horrible, which explains the cheaper price. Not everyone who drinks energy drinks does it solely for the caffeine. One could just take caffeine pills or even liquid caffeine for that matter. Some people are buying it for the taste as well. > The is a huge diffefence between a Monster Rehab Pink Lemonade and an Amp or Rock Star. They all taste like different varieties of shit to me, so might as well save some bucks. Works as well as the other energy drinks in my case. YMMV. _shrug_ The only one I’ve had that’s reasonable is the non-carbonated ice tea energy drinks. Rock Star? Monster? One of those. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/13 "2016-07-01T05:13:49Z")
Today, for instance, I’ve had 7 Monsters. Im about to have another. That’s all that’s in my fridge. Though, sometimes I will drinl a Coke Zero. But usually all I drink all day ate Monsters and sometimes coffee. Coffee can get pretty expensive too, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/14 "2016-07-01T05:21:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > They all taste like different varieties of shit to me, so might as well save some bucks. Works as well as the other energy drinks in my case. YMMV. _shrug_ The only one I’ve had that’s reasonable is the non-carbonated ice tea energy drinks. Rock Star? Monster? One of those. Sounds like Monster’s Rehab series. Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, Pomegranate, Peach, and some other flavor I cant think of. They’re great. Low calorie, lots of vitamins, taurine, gensing, a little caffeine… Its the thirst mutilator! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/15 "2016-07-01T05:48:41Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Is making energy drinks that much more expensive than brewing beer? What’s up with that van Gogh painting going for $60M. Was it more expensive to paint those freakin’ sunflowers than it was to make the velvet Elvis? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/16 "2016-07-01T06:40:54Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Today, for instance, I’ve had 7 Monsters. Im about to have another. :eek: Good Lord, I thought _I_ was an addict when I was up to 3-4 Rockstars per day. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/17 "2016-07-01T07:15:43Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > :eek: Good Lord, I thought _I_ was an addict when I was up to 3-4 Rockstars per day. 4 is called “lunch”. I drink one when I wake up, one on my way to work, two before lunch, two after lunch, and 2-3 more throughiut the day. I just don’t care to drink anything else. When I’m thirsty, I drink a Monster ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/18 "2016-07-01T07:22:53Z")
Heh, energy drinks are pretty much the cheapest thing I can get in a 0.5l can over here in Finland (99 cents, of which 15c is deposit for the can). Even regular soda is more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/19 "2016-07-01T08:21:38Z")
The answer to the question is - because people are gullible. Coffee gives you a boost, sure, but if you are drinking half a gallon a day, you are just countering withdrawal. Energy boosters, whatever they have in them, are going to be just the same. They will work for a while; the first one in the morning may have some effect; but after that, you are just drinking to avoid the let down. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/20 "2016-07-01T08:24:47Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > The answer to the question is - because people are gullible. Coffee gives you a boost, sure, but if you are drinking half a gallon a day, you are just countering withdrawal. Energy boosters, whatever they have in them, are going to be just the same. They will work for a while; the first one in the morning may have some effect; but after that, you are just drinking to avoid the let down. Which perhaps explains why the price is so high. If they are habit-forming and somewhat addictive, then regular users will be less price-sensitive, and you won’t suffer the same fall-off in sales from jacking up the price that you would with comparable, but less compulsive, drinks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849.md?page=2)