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This weekend I stumbled across the Power Cell Energy Balls on display at our local Supermarket and found it to be quite alarming. The company is selling a product (Power Cell Energy Balls) that looks like a gumball from a prominent red gumball dispenser (Power Pump), which unless you take the time to read the fine print, you won’t realize that you are giving your child caffeine, extra vitamins and muscle building compounds—in a product that looks like it is made for children, but is not recommended for children. Subscribe to Type-A Mom articles

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If they’re not gumballs, then what are they?

It looks like a gumball, is sold like a gumball, but it’s not a gumball.

Power Cell Energy Balls is a gumball-like product with "the energy boost of an energy drink" and the "nutrition of an energy bar." The product has been formulated for athletes and truck drivers and other busy people who would like the extra caffeine energy without the extra liquid and extra bathroom breaks.

According to their website:

The POWERCELL is a chewy, healthy, mouth watering confection that delivers a powerful burst of 100% natural instant energy, and follows that up with long lasting natural sustainable energy that lasts for hours.

Perceived View of the Power Cell Balls - A Gumball

I asked my daughters (7 and 5) what they thought the Power Pump was and they both clearly stated that it was for selling gumballs.

A 9-year-old child saw her father looking at the website and declared that it looked to be 'YUMMY!' This is very concerning, given the warning statement on the back of the Power Pump.

I also showed the image of the Power Cell Machine to two classes of my College Nutrition students (45 students) and asked them what they thought the Machine was selling. All except one responded that the machine was selling Gumballs. The only one that didn't was a student in the food service industry who had seen the PowerCell? Machines marketed at the food shows as an up-and-coming product.

Even though Power Cell does not claim that their product is a 'gumball' the way that it is marketed and the shape and size of the product leaves children, parents and adults with the impression that it is indeed a gumball.

Not Recommended for Children

Perhaps what was most concerning was the cautionary information that I found on the back of the 7 foot Power Pump with a bit of difficulty. This warning label was on the backside of the machine in our grocery store read:

CAUTION: Each Power Cell (tm) contains 40 mg of Caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, or caffeine sensitive persons.

I fear that most frazzled parents who may be quickly getting a child a gumball on the way out of the store, will probably not have the time to notice the disclaimer on the back that states the product is not recommended for children.

Then later, when their child is bouncing off the walls after eating a ‘harmless’ gumball, confused parents will be left wondering why their child is so hyperactive, unless they had read the caution on the back of the display.

Note: 40 mg of Caffeine is equivalent of a cup of coffee.

Deceptive (or at least Misleading) Marketing Practices

While the majority of the written materials on the company's website is geared towards adult consumers, the majority of the visual information is clearly targeting children, tweens and teen consumers with the high visibility 7 foot tall Power Pump.

The company has specifically designed the Power Pump so it "stands out like a beacon" to draw people in like a magnet.

This display option in the picture includes the special logo option, so it looks like the product is endorsed by both Walmart and the Children's Miracle Network, so as one father stated:

As a parent I see 'Children’s Miracle Network' on the top of that {display} and I'd be inclined to think that it's fine for children.

In the store where we saw this display, the Power Pump was only 6 feet away from the gum ball and candy dispensers and located going out of the store.

Carefully designed, the Power Pump looks like another candy dispenser, so children will be drawn to the colorful red display as parents are trying to leave the store.

Unless parents, grandparents or other indulgent family members take a few moments to carefully read the small supplement information, which was on the back of the display in our store, or the fine print cautionary information about the caffeine they may not notice that the Power Cell states:

Not recommended for children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, or caffeine sensitive persons.

Energy Boost from an Energy Drink with Nutrition from an Energy Bar

The Power Cell Energy Balls have been formulated for adults to give adults an extra energy boost and extra nutrition. The Power Cells Display features two images depicting their formulas for “Super Energy” and “Super Nutrition.”

The “Super Energy” formula equates two Power Cell Balls with an energy drink, and states that it ‘Gives you the Energy Boost Of An Energy Drink.” People are encouraged to “Pump Yourself Up.”

The “Super Nutrition” formula equates two Power Cell Balls with an energy bar, and states it “Gives You The Sustained Energy & Nutrition Of An Energy Bar” describing the Power Cells as “The Ultimate Energy Snack.”

I don't want my 7 and 5 year old being 'pumped up' br consuming the 'ultimate energy snack.'

Health Concerns about Children Consuming Power Cell Balls

Even though the product may not be officially marketed to children, because of the packaging (like a gumball) and the marketing (selling in a gumball machine) there is concern that children may inadvertently or unintentionally consume a product designed for adults that can be detrimental to the child's health.

The supplement label for the Power Cell Balls lists Vitamins and ingredients based on a 2000 kcalorie adult diet, not the diet of a young child, tween or teen. The Energy Balls are fortified with vitamins and caffeine at an adult level. Children eating the Power Cell Energy Balls will be getting adult levels of vitamins and of caffeine. In addition the formula includes several compounds routinely used by body builders to enhance muscle growth.

Because of their smaller size, children are at an increased risk for toxicities from vitamin excesses, in this case, potentially getting megadoses of Vitamin B6, which could over time ultimately lead to permanent nerve damage. One of the ingredients Creatine Monohydrate is listed on the sites selling the supplement as a product that needs to be kept out of the reach of children.

I also don't want my 7 and 5 year consuming a whole host of ingredients and vitamins at adult levels that are not formulated (made) or recommended for children.

The Power Cell Tower Marketed to Schools as an Effective Fund Raiser

Another big concern that I had with the Power Cell products is that the company is marketing the Power Pump display to schools as a fund-raiser answer to their budgetary challenges.

Franchise licensees are promised great profits if the children, tweens and teens can be enticed to consume these products at the rate of one a day. Schools are promised 10% of the Gross Revenue of the machine; however in the fine print I noted that “The percentage donated to a school under this program can vary.”

Many of the schools are finally getting the soda machines off of the campuses, this looks like an attempt to fill that void.

I honestly can't see a product filled with caffeine, vitamins at adult levels and compounds normally used by body builders to enhance muscle growth--Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, and Creatine Monohydrate--being one that I would want my children consuming on a daily, weekly or even an occasional basis.

Power Cell Energy Balls Like A Vivarin or NoDoz? Display at School

In my opinion, having the Power Cell Energy Balls present in a school setting is like having a Vivarin or NoDoz? (other caffeine products) dispenser available for children, tweens and teens, hopefully something that most parents, teachers and administrators would *not* want to be doing.

Marketing Drugs to Children, Tweens and Teens

Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. Caffeine is the only legal stimulant allowed by the FDA to be included in foods, beverages and over the counter products and medications.

As it stands now, there is no regulation or restriction against selling and marketing caffeine-containing products to children. The onus for knowing that products contain caffeine is placed on the parents, not on the manufacturers...so parents have to become educated health and nutrition consumers.

Marketing the Power Cell Energy Ball seems very much like the marketing of candy cigarettes done decades ago except now the manufactures are marketing caffeine, another product with an addictive component mixed with a bunch of adult dose vitamins and supplements the no one knows what the effects will be on children.

This is an unfortunate example of a company putting profits ahead of the health and well being of our children, tweens and teens, potentially poisoning or at least addicting children for profits.

Just Say 'No' to Powercells Energy Balls for Our Youth

Since the onus for knowing that products contain caffeine is placed on the parents to keep their children away, not on the manufacturers to not package items that are enticing to children parents have to become educated health and nutrition consumers and learn to Just Say 'No.'

If you are also concerned about the Power cell Energy Ball, there are several things you can do to keep this product with the caffeine, excess vitamins and muscle enhancing additives away from our children, tweens and teens.

1. Say ‘No’ when your children ask you to buy then the Power Cell Energy Balls. Be sure to educate them why you are saying ‘NO,’ that the product is not designed for children.

2. Tell other parents about the deceptive marketing campaign so they will also be able to say ‘No.’

3. Say ‘No’ to Franchise owners who may try and get your schools to buy into the Power Cell Energy Ball Power Pump Displays as fundraisers.

4. Contact these various organizations and encourage them to Say ‘No' to Power Cell Energy Balls and also to these deceptive types of marketing strategies that put profits ahead of the health of our children, tweens and teens.

• PTA (Parent Teacher's Association)
• Stores Displaying Products
• Teachers and Schools
• State Legislators
• State Representatives and Senators
• Local Medical Society
• National Medical Associations - Pediatricians, Family Practice Physicians
• Better Business Bureau
• Center for Science in the Public Interest

Related Articles

You can read a longer more in-depth review of the Power Cell Energy Balls product including information on the Supplement List, Proprietary Formula ingredients and other claims in the article “Just Say 'No' to Power Cell Energy Balls Deceptive Marketing Techniques” on the Squidoo website. This article also includes how I plan to use the Power Cell Energy Balls marketing strategy as an example for my College students in “What’s Wrong with this Picture and Advertising Campaign?”

Follow Up

Only two days after publishing this article, I got word this morning from the County's Public Health Physician (whom I had notified) that the Power Cell Energy Ball display has been removed from our local store!

At least that store is safe, but according to some of my students it sounds like there may be others in other grocery store. Fortunately the public health department is now aware of a new caffeine hazard for children, so should be on the alert to new venues displaying the Power Pump.

Make sure you let other parents know, so if one of these shows up in an inappropriate location your neighborhood you can let someone know about it and get it removed.

Be on the Watch for More Products on the Horizon

When I shared this information with my College nutrition students, one of the students who attends the New Food & Beverage Product Trade shows said that there are even more of these types of products that are going to be introduced.

Images Sources: Kirsti A. Dyer. Microsoft Clip Art.

Photo Source: Jason Briton. Gumballs at the Mall. Used with Permission from Fulco Studios.