Confused about Diet Coke, Coke Zero and now this new version called Coke No Sugar? Well, apparently the bosses at Woolworths are too, and they’ve decided not to stock the beverage company’s latest fizzy iteration.
Last month the global beverage manufacturer unveiled plans to ditch its Zero brand (it had already panned Coke Life) in favour of new Coke No Sugar after research found half of its customers were unaware that its existing sugar-free beverages didn’t actually contain any sugar.
Coke No Sugar will have a global roll-out with Australia one of the first markets to get the new beverage that’s reported to taste remarkably similar to the full-sugar original.
However, Woolies appears to be having none of it, saying its customers are already swamped for choice in the soft drink aisle and it has no plans to stock the new No Sugar version.
“We have taken the decision to not range this product at this time,” a Woolworths spokesman told the Australian Financial Review.
“Our customers looking for a no-sugar or low-sugar cola option have ample choice already in the category across a range of different pack sizes and formats.”
Woolies appears to be still stocking Coke Zero, despite news that it will be gradually fazed out.
Thankfully, for Coke, Coles has agreed to take the new beverage and is reportedly selling it at a heavily reduced rate as part of its debut marketing strategy.
Coke’s manufacturer in Australia, Coca-Cola South Pacific, has revealed an extensive marketing program to promote its new Sugar Free version, including TV campaigns, extensive OOH and free handouts of the product to “influencers”.
