Coca Cola / Diet Coke /Coke Zero

[AndyAudi]

Musing from the supermarket aisle

What’s folks drinking choice & prediction for the future.

When Coke Zero came on the go I thought it might be the end of Diet Coke, but I believe there was such a hangover of people who consumed the diet version & got used to that god awful taste that they didn’t like Coke Zero & normal coke, so effectively ended up maintaining two diet versions.

The sugar tax does make “original” a more expensive option (I think 6 tins normal cost 8 tins zero or diet)

Going forward I don’t think, from what I’ve seen anyway, younger folks actively choose Diet Coke,
I’d love to eee the numbers behind it but I suspect it’ll be a declining market. Will we see diet Coke disappear, I think the name’s even old fashioned?

[PistonBroker]

Yes, I think we will.

My 77yo mother-in-law orders Diet Coke.

I'd say the rest of us have full-fat or Zero.

In our house we actually prefer Pepsi Max. But in the same vein, Diet Pepsi still exists and it never occurs to me to buy it, even in the absence of Max.

[Mont Blanc]

None of the above.

I buy 'No Caffeine' Diet Coke, or Pepsi Max 'Caffeine Free' as do quite a few people I know.

(IMO Pepsi Max Caffeine Free tastes quite a bit better than the no caffeine version of Diet Coke, and tend to only buy Coke on occasion).

My view is that more and more will move to caffeine free versions, the same as more people are drinking decaffeinated tea and coffee.

II think that Diet Coke will probably be dropped at some point for some new version and name of the diet option, such as Zero.

Edited by Mont Blanc on Wednesday 6th November 12:18

[varsas]

This seems to suggest that classic, full-fat coke is the best seller (though coke zero + diet coke would overtake it) which is good. It's all I drink (don't like pepsi/diet etc) though I do like cherry and vanilla.

This slightly reminds me of the time Coke tried to change the recipe of classic coke to make it more like pepsi, following the results of some short-term taste tests (which didn't accurately reflect people drinking a larger amount of the drink), following an outcry which made coke reverse the decision and a conspiracy theory that the whole thing had been done as a PR stunt, the head of coke said: they "weren't that dumb, but also weren't that smart" which has always stuck with me.


https://www.statista.com/statistics/629118/soft-dr...

[Arlen]

Used to drink full fat coke all the time. Was up to 2 litres a day when I was a student.

I have swapped to Coke Zero and the occasional full fat coke (nothing washes kebabs down like proper coke).

Usually a tin a day with lunch, cannot say I have really missed the full fat version and it has definitely helped me shed some weight off.

[craigjm]

AndyAudi said:

Will we see diet Coke disappear, I think the name’s even old fashioned?

I still drink original Coke or Pepsi. If I’m going to drink a fizzy drink I would rather just have the real stuff.

I think they should call Diet Coke Coke light as they do in most other markets

The biggest competitor to Coke globally is not Diet Coke or zero it is red bull. The younger generation consume energy drinks like red bull more than they do the drinks mentioned here. Ironic really because if you went into a boardroom and said you had a drink to compete with Coke and it comes in a small can, smells and tastes awful and is expensive they would laugh at you and send you on your way

[The Gauge]

I buy Coke Zero and add my own sugar. It’s good to be in charge.

[shirt]

If I buy coke it’s full sugar in a 6 pack of glass bottles. Tastes the best esp as a mixer, not drinking it regularly enough to care about the sugar content

[Marshall878]

Coke Zero all day long...however the Coke Zero in the UK tastes very different to the Coke Zero here in the UAE, no idea why!

[cuprabob]

Of those options, Coke Zero but only if there is no Pepsi Max available.

[Liamjrhodes]

I will drink any of them but i prefer coke zero.
Normal coke is too sweet and diet coke has an odd taste to me

[FilH]

craigjm said:

I still drink original Coke or Pepsi. If I’m going to drink a fizzy drink I would rather just have the real stuff.

Was always the same for me, until Pepsi done the dirty on us last year some time, and made the full sugar , less sugar and added them lovely sweeteners aspartame and sucralose. ( Like most of the other fizzys these days )

The only real ( cola ) stuff left is Coke.

[wyson]

I have a full fat coke now and again. Used to drink a lot of diet Coke before they reformulated it a few years ago with Ace K, which I can’t tolerate. It makes my face and lips puff up.

The Zero versions, on top of that give me greasy stools and leakage when passing wind.

In the main, I drink water, either filtered tap or sparking now.

Edited by wyson on Wednesday 6th November 14:24

[chrisga]

FilH said:

craigjm said:

I still drink original Coke or Pepsi. If I’m going to drink a fizzy drink I would rather just have the real stuff.

Was always the same for me, until Pepsi done the dirty on us last year some time, and made the full sugar , less sugar and added them lovely sweeteners aspartame and sucralose. ( Like most of the other fizzys these days )

The only real ( cola ) stuff left is Coke.

Same, though was always full fat pepsi as first choice. Drank quite a lot of it, then one day thought I had bought Pepsi Max by mistake but turned out overnight they'd changed "full fat" to be sweetened. Tastes gross so only full fat coke now, though nowhere near as often, so maybe the sugar tax has worked......

[22]

I buy all three from Costco to stock the work 'tuck shop'. Fat coke sells the quickest (manual work), then zero and finally diet. Pepsi max outsells them all considerably, not sure I've seen caffeine-free in Costco.

[C5_Steve]

I'm approaching 40 and haven't drunk regular coke for about 10-15 years now. I just don't enjoy it as much as Coke Zero/Diet Coke. Tbh I rarely drink any of them now but if I do it'll be the surger free version.

That said, if I were forced to drink a Whiskey and Coke it'd have to be the regular version. JD and Coke Zero is rank.

[Jamescrs]

Always go for Coke Zero or Coke Zero Cherry as an alternative. Don't particuarly like the taste of Diet Coke and Full sugar Coke I avoid for the sugar content. Very rarely drink any soft drink that isn't a Zero or Light option

[ChevronB19]

Sainsburys Diet Cola. Way cheaper and actually better.

[cuprabob]

ChevronB19 said:

Sainsburys Diet Cola. Way cheaper and actually better.

I've tried their Xero cola and it was OK as was the Aldi version too.

[Richtea1970]

I prefer ‘normal’ Coke to Pepsi
Then moved onto Duet Coke for years, until the Zero/Max versions started coming out.
Then switched to Pepsi Max as preferred it.

If I’m out and the place doesn’t have Pepsi Max I’ll take Coke Zero as an alternative, but wouldn’t buy it to drink at home.