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Red Bull is an energy drink which is produced and sold by the Austrian company of the same name. In the UK, the brand has an 85% share of the functional energy drinks market.

The ‘energy shot' is a new category for the UK, but in the US the sector boasts 250 different products and is worth $500m. The top-selling brand is currently 5-Hour Energy, produced by Living Essentials. The big three names when it comes to energy drinks in the UK are Red Bull, Lucozade Alert and Coca-Cola's Relentless, who have left it late to release their shots but have the advantage of being renowned brands.

Containing the same amount of energy as a 250ml can, Red Bull Energy Shots come in 60ml shrink-sleeved plastic bottles, and are available in a sugar-free variant.

Graphics 9/10
The bottle is instantly recognisable as Red Bull. The designers have been sensible enough not to tamper with a very successful brand, especially after the disappointment of Red Bull Cola. The reverse of the bottle is filled with ingredients and nutritional information, while the top of the lid has the Red Bull branding.

Key text is kept to a minimum: "vitalizes body and mind" and "with Taurine" are the only messages other than "non-carbonated". Red Bull is so familiar to consumers that there is little need for product details.

Function 9/10
The 60ml bottle is small, but feels chunky in the hand. Being bullet-shaped, it may appeal more to the large customer base of men who already regularly use the product and prefer it to Lucozade and Relentless shot bottles. As the shrink sleeve covers the entire container, it makes the plastic bottle look like a can, which is a clever piece of design. It is light and easily portable, and its compactness makes it easy to stow a couple in a glove-compartment or handbag.

In use, the protective film snaps off easily and the bottle lip is easy to drink from. The screw-on lid makes it possible to reseal, should not all the contents be downed in one go.

On-shelf 10/10
Red Bull shots take little space and at £1.79 provide retailers with an attractive product to place by the tills. In the supermarkets, newsagents and especially relevant at petrol stations, we found this product right by the tills and instantly recognisable.

Overall 9/10
Red Bull shots look as if they will become a very successful product with solid packaging to reinforce a very strong brand.

Monica Lucas of Pragma takes a look at the packaging of a well-known brand in the retail environment from the consumer’s point of view. Pragma specialises in providing strategies for success in the retail, branding and leisure markets. www.pragmauk.com