Aussies livid as Woolworths axes Logan Paul and KSI Prime launch in WA

Woolworths has been forced to cancel a highly anticipated launch event with an international YouTube star amid safety concerns.

Logan Paul and KSI had been scheduled to appear at the Midvale Central Shopping Centre in Perth to officially launch Prime, their hugely successful sports drink, in Australia on February 11.

But the supermarket giant, which has secured the exclusive rights to sell the drink after its viral success overseas, has been forced to pull the plug over concerns for fans’ health and safety.

“Following a safety and security review and with the advice of WA Police, our security providers and the City of Swan we are not satisfied in the interests of public safety for this event to occur at the Midvale Central Shopping Centre car park on Saturday, February 11,” a spokesperson for the supermarket said.

“We know this is disappointing for customers and fans of Prime drinks, however public safety must come first.”

Woolworths also shut down rumours of a rescheduled event at Sydney’s Town Hall store that had been circulating on social media, stating it categorically wasn’t true.

“We would like to reiterate that there is no planned activity with Prime at any Woolworths stores ahead of the drinks being on sale exclusively within our stores later this month.”

The cancelled event has beet met with disappointment online, as fans of the social media stars shared their frustrations.

“Aldi UK launched it fine, so why can’t one Woolworths store manage it?” one person wrote.

“I’m livid. I’ve been looking forward to this,” another said.

Others branded the failed event “a joke”.

However, parents on the young fans appear to be delighted the event is off, with some stating it meant they got their Saturday back.

“Thank God, don’t have to drive my kids now,” one said.

“I’m sure it would have been carnage. I’m stoked about this,” someone else wrote.

Paul and KSI, two online stars with a combined YouTube audience of over 47 million on the popular video platform, launched their joint business venture in the US in January 2022.

The drink reportedly contains 10 per cent coconut water, along with electrolytes, BCAAs, B vitamins, and has no sugar or caffeine.

Since launching, it has quickly become a cult item, with bottles being stripped from shelves.

When it launched in the UK, it was met with a similar response. An Aldi Special Buys deal on the drink even sparked “carnage” in stores as shoppers “pushed” and “shoved” to snag a bottle in December.

A video, captured by 19-year-old student Kristina Sheppard in a store in East London, revealed the “absolute chaos”.

“It was just hectic. I didn’t push anyone, but there was a lot of pushing and shoving going on,” she told The Sun at the time.

“There were parents pushing children. There were kids between the ages of seven and 14, they were being pushed out of the way.

“One of the staff was shouting, ‘Parents, stop pushing the kids.’ It was absolute carnage.”

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Woolworths has yet to announce a price for the beverage in Australia but in the UK it retails for around $3.50.

It’s not the first time a meet-and-greet event in WA has been cancelled by police, with TikTok megastar Anna Paul’s launch with Australian activewear brand STAX being cut for similar reasons last year.

The 23-year-old influencer was slated to do an in-store appearance at Hay Street Mall in Perth’s CBD in August but it was shut down on the day after thousands of fans showed up.

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