Parallel Importing-Grey Market of Red Bull in UK, and how it works.
I want to know all about the Parallel import of Red Bull in UK. Many
shops are selling the imported Red Bull cheaper than the selling price
of the wholeseller in the country of origin, for example Holland or
even Poland. How this is possible? Are they loosing money? Wholesale
selling price in Holland is EURO 17.80 which is GBP 12.36, to this you
have to add transport to UK + profit. Selling price in UK is GBP 11.90
+ VAT. I really don't understand. Can anyone explain me please? Is
there a missing trader in between? Can anyone explain me how the
PARALLEL market is working in UK??

Maybe it's good old fashioned Rustling.

Something is wrong here
- you are fishing with too much bait

"Rustling" - like stealing cattle.
Maybe Red Bull has a problem with inventory control ...

Thanks a lot to all of your comments - each comment is very much appreciated!
Thank you all!!

Is it possible it's the result of fraud?

A company builds up a moderate level of credit with a wholesaler
through a small number of completed transactions through a dummy
company, then orders a large consignment of product. Once the
consignment arrives, the dummy company is wound up, the product is
shipped outside the market and sold to small retail outlets who are
happy to take dodgy stock at a discount. Red Bull has a reasonable
weight-to-value ratio, I would have thought - comparable to alcohol at
least?

@Konabunny

That is a good description of a scam
- but not quite parallel importing

Parallel importing works because manufacturers sell the same product
at different prices in different countries.

It is simply a matter of finding a country where the price of a
product is substantially lower.

In this case Boby07 is puzzled because UK shops are selling Red Bull
from Poland for less than the Polish wholesale price.

It is possible that the goods are stolen or counterfeit, but is more
likely that the Polish 'wholesale price' is a lot higher than the
price paid by distributers to bars and clubs, and that the product is
leaking via a 'distributer'.

In other words, the Polish wholesale price is a lot higher than the
manufacturer's 'real' wholesale price.
Prestige product price maintenance - for the consumer.

Thank you! konabunny-ga, and frde-ga.

Where can you get Red Bull for this price?
I wiuld be very interested!

Also regarding your question Red Bull in the Uk and possibly abroad
have an arrangment with Smirnoff.  Basically through UK distributors
they offer you a free bottle 70cl of Smirnoff with every case you buy,
maybe the same deal applies in Holland and Poland.  Also you must take
into account that it all depends where you get your wholesale price
from as most wholesalers offer huge discounts to bulk buyers.

Sorry i meant every 10 cases.

Thank you  h21-gau!

Can you tell me where can you get 1 Smirnoff bottle with every 10
cases Red Bull? Best to my knowledge Red Bull policy is that they are
against mixing of Red Bull with alcohol.

<quote>Best to my knowledge Red Bull policy is that they are
against mixing of Red Bull with alcohol.</quote>

Can I send you a bill for cleaning my keyboard ?

frde-ga - Sorry but I can't follow you.

Sorry - I meant I laughed so much that I sputtered coffee on my keyboard.

Coffee, Jerry?

No bull?

Ach - you got me Bryan.

It was red wine.

One day I must try Red Bull and Vodka, I am reliably informed that it
packs quite a punch.

In my misspent early twenties we would mix Pernod and Vodka.
With devastating results.

frde-ga - Pernod and Vodka, tasted much better than Red Bull and Vodka!