8-7-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A mother’s casual shopping trip with her son took an unexpected turn when she discovered the staggering prices charged for popular snacks and drinks at a vending machine in the city. The incident, which was captured on video and shared on social media, has sparked outrage among netizens who were left baffled by the exorbitant prices.
The mother, identified only by her social media handle @mhmmdhsm, shared the footage of her son’s excitement upon spotting the vending machine near a Mama Store in Kuala Lumpur. The young boy eagerly purchased two bottles of an energy drink and a bar of chocolate, oblivious to the eye-watering costs.
As the transaction unfolded, the mother’s disbelief grew when she realized that each bottle of the energy drink, branded as PRIME, was priced at a staggering RM89 (approximately $19). To make matters worse, the chocolate bar from the brand Feastables carried a price tag of RM55 (around $11.60).
Perhhh budak2 zaman sekarang air botol macam tu je rm80 ? ????????♂️ ape ke menatang air PRIME yang mahal sangat tu. Beli kt mesin mamak je pulak tu ???? pic.twitter.com/Rl9aQChms3
— mhmmdhsm (@mhmmdhsm) July 4, 2024
“My son really wanted this drink, but one bottle costs RM89. There was a buy-one-get-one-free offer, so two bottles cost RM89,” the mother can be heard saying in the video, her voice laced with incredulity.
The situation became even more perplexing when one of the energy drink bottles became stuck in the vending machine, prompting the mother to seek assistance from an employee to retrieve it. Despite the exorbitant prices, the mother allowed her son to proceed with the purchase, a decision that left many netizens scratching their heads.
Reactions on social media were swift, with users expressing disbelief and questioning the reasoning behind such inflated prices for popular snacks and drinks. Many deemed the products overpriced and not worth the investment, while others questioned the mother’s decision to indulge her son’s desires at such a high cost.
The PRIME energy drink, a collaboration between renowned internet personalities Logan Paul and KSI, has gained global popularity, particularly among younger audiences in Western countries. Similarly, the Feastables chocolate bar, created by the famous YouTuber Mr. Beast, has leveraged his massive following to become a sought-after treat among teens and children worldwide.
However, some netizens pointed out that the PRIME energy drink has already fallen out of favor in the United States, with many convenience stores frequently offering clearance sales, selling the product for as low as $1.80. Additionally, reports suggest that the same drink can be purchased in Singapore for just SGD 3.50 (approximately RM12), further fueling questions about the exorbitant prices charged by the Malaysian vending machine.
