Ordering 'Red Bull' and being given 'Shark'

J

John Rambo

Registered User
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This may not seem like a major gripe but it's really starting to bug me.

Like many people I'm partial to a few Jack Daniels or vodka and Red Bulls towards the end of a night.

Unfortunately, many establishments including some high profile places not afraid to charge high prices are serving Shark when asked for Red Bull. Shark is a much cheaper product so the pub/club makes a better margin, but to my mind it's the equivalent of selling supermarket own brand cola instead of Coke.

Is this illegal or immoral and is there anything that can be done about it?

In my opinion retailers are entitled to sell cheap vodka but not cheap 'Coke', 'Red Bull', or 'Jack Daniels'.

Perhaps going to the manufacturer might be in order as maybe establishments should have to erect signs saying 'We do not serve Red Bull or Coca-Cola'?
 
So whats the problem with specifying Red Bull? In the same way as you would expect to get Jack Daniels? If you don't get what you asked for then you have a right to complain. If they charge over the odds for the Shark (which I agree they do!), then don't buy it and go somewhere they do sell the real deal? Or am I being too simplistic?

Or are they serving it in a sneaky way and not declaring that its Shark?
 
Cant you hand the drink back stating 'I asked for Red Bull and youve given me something else?'.
 
Lauren said:
So whats the problem with specifying Red Bull? In the same way as you would expect to get Jack Daniels? If you don't get what you asked for then you have a right to complain. If they charge over the odds for the Shark (which I agree they do!), then don't buy it and go somewhere they do sell the real deal? Or am I being too simplistic?

Or are they serving it in a sneaky way and not declaring that its Shark?
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Well, if you order two Jack Daniels and one Red Bull in certain places you'll be given two Jack Daniels and one Shark with no comment from the bar or lounge person. They should have to categorically state when you're ordering 'we don't have that here'. And I'm talking about places that charge €6.50 for a pint...big places on Dawson Street without naming names!
 
There is a marketing term for this - I can't remember the exact term but what it describes is the tendency of a brand name to gradually turn into a generic term for similar, competing products.

Examples include
Jeep
Hoover
Ballygowan
Walkman
Tayto
 
truthseeker said:
Cant you hand the drink back stating 'I asked for Red Bull and youve given me something else?'.
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Of course you can but is there an element of them passing it off on customers as something else? I'd like to know whether an offence is being committed here...would the Red Bull people take action on this kind of stuff? I mean, you really notice it with Coke and Pepsi for example. I was in TGI Fridays recently and I ordered a Coke and the waitress said 'we don't serve Coke, is Pepsi ok?' which is fine. The way they say that though makes me think they HAVE to say it legally which would mean other places are doing something untoward.
 
John Rambo said:
Of course you can but is there an element of them passing it off on customers as something else?
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Presumably only if they try to conceal the fact that they are giving you Shark instead of Red Bull? Do they give you a Shark bottle?
 
ubiquitous said:
Presumably only if they try to conceal the fact that they are giving you Shark instead of Red Bull? Do they give you a Shark bottle?
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They do give you the bottle alright but it's presented as a fait accompli with no comment. I know for a fact Shark is cheaper for them to buy but given the retail price of such things I
 
I know in the UK they are very careful to make sure they know what brand you are buying - eg if you ask for a coke they will say "Is Pepsi ok?" before serving whereas here they don't. Is it a legal thing?
 
i think the only answer to this is to refuse the shark, if they're placing it on the counter for you to see they're not hiding the fact that they're serving it in place of the drink asked for, i don't think there's any legislation against it though. you should mention it to the manager at the time. as to mixing red bull or shark with jack daniels that sounds disgusting.
 
dereko1969 said:
i think the only answer to this is to refuse the shark, if they're placing it on the counter for you to see they're not hiding the fact that they're serving it in place of the drink asked for, i don't think there's any legislation against it though. you should mention it to the manager at the time. as to mixing red bull or shark with jack daniels that sounds disgusting.
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Yes, they probably shouldn't be just presenting people with Shark...a 'is Shark ok?' from the bar or lounge person would be appropriate but on reflection I doubt there's a legal issue. And JD and Red Bull tastes great...JD and Shark not so good plus the side effects are more noticeable.
 
Why don't you take it up with the manufacturers / distributers of RedBull in Ireland.

I remember many years ago asking for a pint of Harp and getting Heineken. I got no joy from the publican but let the local Guiness rep know. Some months later I was back and asked for Harp. The said that they did not stock Harp or any other Guinness product! Guinness had de listed them!

Manufacurers/Distributers guard their brands diligently and I would expect a swift reaction from RedBull if you made them aware of the practice!
 
Thanks Ajapale...you know something, you're right. I'm going to contact the distributors directly.
 
If I get offered Pepsi when I ask for Coke I just refuse it. I would do the same if I was you. That said, I'm a Vodka and Red-Bull man and in the many years I've been drinking it, it's never bothered me what they serve me. It's not as if it's a glass of fine wine...
 
This also happens with Corona and Sol but 9/10 places will tell you before they serve it. I have been given Sol as if it were Corona and I just told asked for something else.
 
My brother ordered red bull in a well known Dublin nightclub and was given shark. He checked his receipt and red bull was written on it even though he was served shark. He asked the barman for a red bull instead but the barman was exceptionally rude and told him a lot less politely that if he didn't want shark he could take his custom elsewhere. My brother called red bull the next day and informed them that this particular nightclub was passing shark off as red bull. They were very grateful and took his details. Two weeks later he received two crates of red bull as a thank you and the next time he was in the nightclub in question there were posters up all over the place stating that they only sold shark and not red bull. i don't think he'd have bothered to complain except the barman was so rude but it just goes to show that sometimes it is effective....
 
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