Energising the UAE: the consumption of alcohol is haram, forbidden, for Muslims. In the United Arab Emirates high energy drinks have soared in popularity to become a fashionable part of the Emirates' culture.(MOSAIC)

Publication: The Middle East

Publication Date: 01-DEC-05

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Once the drink of choice for athletes, the energy drink, started by Gatorade and Lucozade, has now become a worldwide billion dollar industry, with market leader Red Bull not only rivalling Coca-Cola and Pepsi in global cult brand status but also ushering in a new era of the non-alcoholic beverage. Although highly priced, aggressively marketed and often accompanied by health warnings, this phenomenally growing industry is fuelled by a generation of people too busy to rest and addicted to caffeine.

Nowhere is this growth more apparent than in the United Arab Emirates.

There are many reasons for the UAE's energy drinks market growing at a rate of 25% per year, the most obvious being the factor of religion, for despite its western ambitions and large expatriate population, the UAE is still governed by Islamic law. Thus various levels of alcohol...

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