Schoolboy cashes in on thirst for Prime by selling empty bottles on eBay

Ross McGuinness
Updated ·2 min read
2
Charlie Smith, 10 of Nottingham who is selling his empty Prime bottles. January 07, 2023. See SWNS story SWNJprime. A budding “Little Del Boy” has made a tasty profit by re-selling EMPTY bottles of Prime energy drink online to punters dying to get their hands on the viral beverage. Charlie Smith, ten, braved excessive queues outside Asda stores last month to get his hands on the viral drink, which was created by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI. But after guzzling the beverages, he turned the empties into reddies by flogging them on his mum's eBay account – and made more than they cost to buy in shops. Charlie's first sale netted him £12 for five empty bottles of Prime, which normally retail for £1.99 in supermarkets such as Asda and Aldi. And following this success, he’s even started paying other youngsters £1 for their empty bottles in the hope of pocketing a better margin on the open market.
Charlie Smith, 10, has been selling empty bottles of Prime online. (SWNS)

A 10-year-old schoolboy is cashing in on the UK's thirst for a new energy drink by selling empty bottles on eBay.

Many Britons have been going to great lengths to get their hands on a bottle of Prime, an energy drink that was launched last year.

The drink, created by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, is so sought after in the UK that reports suggest it is selling online for as much as £100 a bottle, even though it retails for £1.99.

One "little Del Boy" cashing in on the craze is 10-year-old Charlie Smith, from Nottingham, who has taken to selling empty bottles at a 17% profit on his mother's eBay account.

Watch: Schoolboy makes profit by selling empty bottles of Prime on eBay

Charlie queued up to buy the drink at the supermarket last month, and buys empties from other youngsters for £1 a pop.

His father, Adam Smith, 38, said: 'We think it's stupid that he's buying drinks that they're obsessed with for £2.

"But we can't argue with him because he's getting his money back on it.

"It's very normal for Charlie. He's very good with his money. He thinks it's brilliant that he can drink it for free.

"He likes trying to buy and sell anything to make a profit. Charlie's a bit like a little Del Boy."

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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 09: Prime energy drinks pitchside before the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium on October 09, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Prime has a sponsorship deal with Arsenal FC. (Getty Images)

In his first sale, Charlie earned £12 for selling five empty bottles of Prime.

The schoolboy said: "I love it, I love making money. I want to be a businessman when I'm older."

Before Christmas, he started using a Prime tracking app which updates customers on the stores that have the drink in stock.

His empty bottles are being bought for £2 more than the drink's retail price.

His father said: "He got above the retail price of what they sell for a full bottle, which is ridiculous.

Charlie Smith, 10 of Nottingham who is selling his empty Prime bottles. January 07, 2023. See SWNS story SWNJprime. A budding “Little Del Boy” has made a tasty profit by re-selling EMPTY bottles of Prime energy drink online to punters dying to get their hands on the viral beverage. Charlie Smith, ten, braved excessive queues outside Asda stores last month to get his hands on the viral drink, which was created by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI. But after guzzling the beverages, he turned the empties into reddies by flogging them on his mum's eBay account – and made more than they cost to buy in shops. Charlie's first sale netted him £12 for five empty bottles of Prime, which normally retail for £1.99 in supermarkets such as Asda and Aldi. And following this success, he’s even started paying other youngsters £1 for their empty bottles in the hope of pocketing a better margin on the open market.
Charlie Smith with the profits from his sales of empty bottles of Prime energy drink. (SWNS)

"Now he's trying to buy them off other people empty for £1 to try and resell them.

"He's got about 25 in his bedroom now. He's been going through eBay but he was going to try and do Facebook Marketplace as well because there are other things there."

Prime, which has a sponsorship deal with Arsenal FC, comes in a range of fruit flavours.

Rapper KSI has criticised shops that have been reportedly reselling new bottles above the retail price.

There have been reports of people paying £15 for a bottle in local corner shops.