Pocket sized: The new 375ml bottle being launched by Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has introduced its first new bottle to the UK for almost 20 years, however it comes with a back door price rise.
The 375ml bottle is being heralded as a major innovation by the drinks giant and could - one day – spell the end of the traditional smaller can.
Coke is marketing the new bottle on the basis it is ‘pocket size’ and ‘good value’.
However, a price comparison makes clear that it is more expensive ‘slurp for slurp’ than the existing standard can and bottle sizes.
The standard UK can comes in at 330ml and costs 59p at one of the big supermarkets. The new 375ml bottle is some 13.6per cent bigger however the price is 50per cent higher at 89p.
Coke also sells its drinks in 500ml bottles for £1.08. Again, while the 375ml option is 25per cent smaller, the price is only 17per lower.
The bottle is cheaper to produce and greener than the firm’s aluminium cans because it includes some recycled plastic and plant material.
The US drinks giant has no plans to dump the can, however it could make huge savings and boost profit margins by encouraging shoppers to switch to the bottles.
The company brackets Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero under the heading ‘MyCoke’. The three drinks scored UK sales last year of just over £1.1billion.
The biggest benefit of the bottle over the can is that it can be resealed. It also scores over the larger 500ml bottles because it is lighter and will fit in a handbag or, if allowed, a school packed lunch.
Coca Cola Great Britain’s Zoe Howorth, who is the market activation director, said: ‘We’re pleased to be responding to consumer demand and launching our first new on-the-go pack size in almost 20 years.
The Coca-Cola range: The new bottle is smaller than the
current bottle and marginally bigger than a Coca-Cola can
‘The new 375ml MyCoke bottles offer consumers a handy, pocket size Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero to satisfy their thirst at great value.’
Anyone who has the 375ml bottle of regular Coke will be consuming 40g of sugar – 9.5 teaspoons - and 161 calories. That is an extra 5g of sugar and 22 calories compared to the 330ml can.
The 375ml bottles are being rolled out across the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
On prices, a spokesman said: ‘This pack size is designed to be an affordable addition to the current range that fits in well with peoples’ busy lifestyles and desire for products they can consume whilst on the move.
‘Following our research, there was a clear desire for an additional option between the much loved 330ml can and 500ml bottle.’
Sizing down: Cadbury cut the size of a number of its
products including its Dairy Milk bars
The spokesman insisted there are ‘no plans’ to phase out the cans.
The idea of introducing new sizes as a tactic to push up the price has reached epidemic proportions on the high street in recent years.
Chocolate giant Mars is currently investigating shrinking the size of some products to meet a commitment that all its products should be no more than 250 calories in what it claims is a contribution to tackling obesity.
Cadbury, which is now part of the US confectionary giant Kraft, has cut the size of a number of its products. However, it has admitted this has been a financial decision, rather than part of a health drive.
Last year, it reduced the size of the 140g bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk to 120g, so losing the equivalent of two chunks. It then cut the size of its traditional circular Roses tins from 975g to 850g – effectively snatching away 11 of the chocolate favourites.
Among the other many recent examples, bottles of Fairy washing up liquid were cut from 450ml to 433ml, while the standard pack of UK’s biggest selling cheddar cheese brand Cathedral City was slimmed down from 400g to 350g.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157961/Coca-Cola-launches-new-bottle-UK-time-nearly-20-years.html#ixzz1xZyGF3Lt
No comments:
Post a Comment