Some retailers in Kentucky inadvertently sold alcoholic energy drinks to underage youth after confusing the products with nonalcoholic energy drinks, WYMT-TV reported May 25.

The Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control's (ABC) Enforcement Division found that some store clerks don't recognize energy drinks containing alcohol because the packaging is so similar to that of regular energy drinks. Officials said the alcoholic drinks look more like other energy drinks than other alcoholic beverages.

"This new line of alcoholic beverage product is extremely similar in look and feel to the popular energy drinks that contain no alcohol," said ABC Executive Director Chris Lilly. "It is critical that servers, sellers, and consumers know and understand the difference. Our youth are at risk when clerks and retailers can not differentiate between nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages being sold."

Kentucky officials noted that while retailers are still subject to penalties for inadvertently selling alcohol-infused energy drinks to underage customers, the ABC is adding information about energy drinks to its server-training program.