Coca-Cola Life

Coca-Cola Life was a reduced-calorie version of Coca-Cola, made using stevia and sugar as sweeteners.[1] It was first released in Argentina and Chile after five years of research together in these countries.[2] The formulation varied by market location, and in some areas the original formulation had been phased out in favor of a zero-calorie version sweetened with stevia only. The drink was discontinued in 2020 as part of the Coca-Cola Company discontinuing underperforming brands.

Coca-Cola Life
Coca-Cola Life cans on a public grocery store shelf.
TypeMid-calorie cola
ManufacturerThe Coca-Cola Company
DistributorThe Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin Argentina
Chile
Introduced2013
Discontinued2019 (Europe and Canada only)
2020 (everywhere else)
Related productsCoca-Cola
Diet Coke
Pepsi True
WebsiteOfficial website

Ingredients

The drink contains stevia leaf extract,[3] and is the first Coca-Cola variant to use this ingredient.[4] However, it is not the first product owned by the Coca-Cola Company to use stevia. Over 45 products distributed by Coca-Cola use stevia extract,[5] including Vitamin Water and Seagram's Ginger Ale.[6]

Coca-Cola Life formulations typically also contained sugar, but used less sugar than traditional Coca-Cola. In the US, for example, a single 8 US fluid ounces (240 ml) serving contained around 60 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates from sugar (which constituted about 1/3 less sugar than traditional Coca-Cola per serving).[7]

Packaging

The drink was available in glass bottles, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. The logo was a small green leaf.[8] In 2018, a red disc was added behind the name for greater brand identification, as part of Coca-Cola's new "global packaging" scheme.[9] The plastic bottle was fully recyclable (like normal PET bottles) and 30 percent plant-based, with fossil-fuel plastic accounting for the remaining 70 percent of the bottle.[10]

Distribution

Coca-Cola Life was launched in Argentina in June 2013, in Chile in November of that year, in Sweden in June 2014 and in the United Kingdom in September 2014. It has subsequently been launched in many other countries. Coca-Cola Life tried to co-exist with Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero[11] in the Argentine and Chilean market, but it has been slowly removed from those markets due to its low reception from customers. Due to decrease in sales, and increase of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar sales, Coca-Cola Life was discontinued in the UK in June 2017.

Coca-Cola Life has been available in:

  • Argentina[12]
  • Armenia
  • Australia (later branded as 'Coca-Cola with Stevia')[13][14]
  • Austria
  • Belgium[15]
  • Brazil (called Coca-Cola com Stevia)[16]
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada (2015-2019)
  • Chile[17]
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark[18] (2016-2019)
  • Ecuador
  • Estonia
  • France[15][19]
  • Germany[10][20][21]
  • Greece
  • Hong Kong
  • Italy[22]
  • Ireland
  • Japan, 2015[23]
  • Latvia[24]
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg[24]
  • Malta
  • Malaysia
  • Namibia
  • Netherlands[15]
  • New Zealand[14]
  • Norway[25] (2015-2017)
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Sweden (2014-2017)[26][27]
  • Switzerland
  • Ukraine (since 2017)
  • United Arab Emirates[28]
  • United Kingdom
  • United States[24]

Australia

Coca-Cola Life was introduced into Australia in March 2015. In early 2017, the brand was dropped due to poor sales and replaced with 'Coca-Cola with Stevia', which contains less sugar than Coca-Cola Life.[29]

Belgium & Luxembourg

Coca-Cola Life was introduced in Belgium and Luxembourg in early 2015. Distribution was stopped in September 2018.

Canada

The roll-out of Coca-Cola Life in Canada began in the fall of 2016.[30] In Canada, the product is sweetened from natural sources and contains 50% fewer calories than regular colas.[31] The nutrition data on the Canadian version of product shows 25 g carbohydrates (25 g sugar), 100 calories and 70 mg sodium and 15 mg potassium per 500 ml. By early 2020, the product was replaced with "Coca-Cola Stevia", a zero-calorie drink which is sweetened with stevia only;[32] the "Coca-Cola Life" logo remains on the back of packaging for continuity.

Ingredients (sugar/stevia formulation):[31] Carbonated water, sugar, caramel colour, natural flavour, phosphoric acid, sodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, stevia extract, caffeine, and citric acid.

New Zealand

In May 2018, Coca-Cola Life was replaced in New Zealand by Coca-Cola Stevia No Sugar.[33]

Switzerland

Coca-Cola Life was introduced in Switzerland in 2015[34] and withdrawn in March 2018.[35]

United States
Boxes of 12-pack 12 oz (355 ml) Coca-Cola life on a store shelf in the United States circa April 2019

Coca-Cola Life was released in limited areas in the summer of 2014 with the product being sold at a number of locations of The Fresh Market grocery store. Nationwide distribution began on November 4, 2014.[7][24] The release of Coca-Cola Life is the first Coca-Cola product launch in the U.S. since 2006.[36] The nutrition data on the U.S. version of product shows 24 g carbohydrates (24 g sugar), 90 calories and 35 mg sodium.[37] The can label indicates 28 mg caffeine per 12 fl.oz.[38]

Before the full-scale national launch, the market research firm Haynes & Co. said that early research findings showed a positive view by consumers toward the drink.[7] The company planned to host 4,000 events at stores where people could sample the drink for free.[24] To help with its advertising and public marketing campaign, the company hired Fitzgerald and Company to develop strategy and promote the product on social media.[39]

United Kingdom
Final revision of the Coca-Cola Life logo in the United Kingdom.

Coca-Cola began offering the drink to U.K. customers in September 2014.[40] The offering was the first new Coca-Cola product introduced in the U.K. in eight years. In 2016, it was reformulated and now contains even less sugar than regular Coke (45% less). On April 5, 2017, it was announced that due to a decrease in sales, and increase in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar sales, that Life would no longer be sold and it was discontinued in June 2017.[4] The list of ingredients is carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, and stevia.[41]

To promote the drink, at one event the company hired British model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who promoted the drink at a launch party in London in September.[42]

In August, The Telegraph sent a correspondent, Harry Wallop, and a film crew onto the streets of Victoria to conduct a taste test of random people. In a video news segment produced from the taste test, Wallop says that most people could tell the difference in taste between Coca-Cola classic and Coca-Cola Life, although many people told him they preferred the taste of Life.[8]

In the United Kingdom, the Coca-Cola company has led several health initiatives, and it considers the introduction of Coca-Cola Life as a vital component to its initiatives. Specifically, the company promoted lower obesity rates and more active lifestyles among British people. The company insisted in connecting the roll-out of Life with its stance on promoting health.[40][43]

The Grocer magazine in the U.K. conducted a blind taste test among seven of its staff members in June. According to The Grocer, all seven tasters preferred the taste of Life to the other products. (The article in The Grocer did not specify which products Life was tested against.) However, all seven tasters said that they thought they had been tasting Coca-Cola Classic.[44]

Argentina

In Argentina, the launch of Coca-Cola Life placed an emphasis on the recyclable bottle. The drink is distributed in Coca-Cola's "PlantBottle", which is made up of recyclable petroleum-based material plus around 30 percent plant-based material.

Coca-Cola released a television ad in Argentina called "Parents" to promote Coca-Cola Life.[45] Marketing in Argentina was focused, much like in the U.K., around healthy lifestyles.[36] "Parents" is a humorous commercial featuring a young married couple receiving news about their first pregnancy. The commercial shows the parents going through common hardships of young parenthood, such as getting little sleep, having a toddler make a mess in the house, etc. Toward the end of the commercial, the father closes his eyes and takes a long drink from a Coca-Cola Life bottle. He opens his eyes, and while still drinking, his wife shows him a "positive" pregnancy test result. What appears to be a look of horror on the father's face (his eyes widen) turns into a look of joy and excitement.[46]

Armenia

In Armenia, Coca-Cola Life was exclusively available in SAS supermarket. One can of 330 ml costs around one U.S. dollar.

Malaysia

Introduced January 2018, it was only available in 500 ml quantities (as of January 2018). The product was sold for RM2 or roughly US$0.50 per bottle at 7-Eleven.

Criticism

Critics denoted Coca-Cola Life as simply a marketing gimmick or "greenwashing" of its outdated image with the original Coca-Cola drink.[47][48]

References
  1. "Official Coca-Cola Life FAQ". 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014.
  2. "Coca-Cola Life: the new version of the soft drink created in Chile and Argentina" (in Spanish). 22 November 2013.
  3. "Coca-Cola Life Ingredients". The Coca-Cola Company. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. Hofherr, Justine (17 June 2014). "Is The New Coca-Cola 'Life' Healthier Than Regular Coke? (And Will It Come to The US?)". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  5. "Stevia-sweetened Coca-Cola Life hits American shores". Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. Truong, Alice (22 July 2013). "Green Coke? In Argentina, Coca-Cola Life Features Green Label, Bottle, And Ingredients". Fast Company. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  7. Horovitz, Bruce (4 November 2014). "Researcher: Coca-Cola Life is a hit". USA Today. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  8. Wallop, Harry (22 August 2014). "Taste Test: does Coca-Cola Life taste better than regular Coke?". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  9. "Coca-Cola Unveils New Global Packaging". 18 April 2016.
  10. "Kommt bald die "grüne" Cola?". Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  11. "Official Coca-Cola Life FAQ #2". 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  12. "COTO ditigal". Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  13. "New Coca-Cola with Stevia - a great taste with even less sugar". Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  14. "Coke to introduce low calorie green fizz". NZ Herald. 30 October 2014.
  15. "Coca-Cola Life will launch in France, Belgium and Netherlands". Coca-Cola Enterprises. The Coca-Cola Company. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  16. "Coca-Cola com Stevia e 50% menos açúcares". Coca-Cola Brasil. The Coca-Cola Company. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  17. "Llegó a Chile Coca-Cola Life®, la primera bebida cola baja en calorías endulzada naturalmente con stevia y azúcar - Coca-Cola Chile". Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  18. "Nu lander Coca-Cola Life i Danmark". FødevareWatch. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
  19. Majoube, Ulla (7 October 2014). "Le Coca-Cola Life à la stévia arrive en janvier 2015 en France". L'Express (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  20. "Coca-Cola Life mit Stevia-Süße: Coca-Cola Deutschland". 30 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  21. "Coca-Cola Life: Der Nepp mit der grünen Cola". Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  22. "COCA-COLA LIFE è arrivata anche in Italia". Beverfood.com. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  23. "Coca-Cola launches new campaign to celebrate 100th anniversary of bottle". Japan Today. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  24. "Coca-Cola Life Arrives On Shelves Nationwide". The Coca-Cola Company. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  25. "Dagligvarer: Nå kommer Coca-Cola Life til Norge - Dinside Økonomi". DinSide. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  26. Bouckley, Ben (27 October 2014). "'Too early to declare victory' with Coca-Cola Life: Coca-Cola Enterprises". Beverage Daily. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  27. Horovitz, Bruce (1 October 2014). "Green is the new red for Coke Life opening". USA Today. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  28. "Have you tried the new Coca-Cola in the UAE?". wknd. Khaleej Times. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  29. "Coca-Cola Life disappears from Australian shelves". 26 April 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  30. "Coca-Cola Life Arrives in Canada". Archived from the original on 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  31. "Coca-Cola Life". Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  32. "Coca-Cola Stevia". Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  33. "Kiwis First In The World: Coca-Cola Stevia No Sugar Launches". Coca Cola Journey NZ. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  34. "Coca-Cola Schweiz - Medienmitteilungen" (in German). 2015-02-18. Archived from the original on 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  35. Blick. "Coca-Cola Life verschwindet aus der Schweiz" (in German). Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  36. "What's Up With This Green Coca-Cola?". Mashable. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  37. "Coca-Cola Life - 12 oz | Coca-Cola Product Facts". www.coca-colaproductfacts.com. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  38. Product label on 12oz can sold in the US Market. April 2019
  39. Elliott, Stuart (10 November 2014). "News From the Advertising Industry". The New York Times. Nexis.
  40. "New green Coca-Cola 'Life' to make its European debut". Fox News. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  41. "Coca-Cola Life Ingredients". Coca-Cola Great Britain. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  42. Powell, Emma (19 September 2014). "Rosie Huntington-Whiteley turns heads in revealing top for Coca-Cola Life launch; The Victoria's Secret model was in London to attend the launch of the new drink". London Evening Standard. Nexis.
  43. "Coke unveils Coca-Cola Life brand". Marketing. 1 July 2014.
  44. Leyland, Adam (14 June 2014). "Coca-Cola Life's significance is huge in sugar controversy". The Grocer. United Kingdom: William Reed Business Media Ltd. Nexis.
  45. "Coca-Cola Life's Viral Commercial Named In AdWeek's 'Best Ads Of 2014'". Food and Dining. Inquisitr. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  46. "Heartwarming Coca -Cola Life commercial from Argentina showing trials tribulations parenting". YouTube. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  47. Han, Esther (30 March 2015). "Coca-Cola accused of 'greenwashing' with launch of sugar-reduced Coke Life". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  48. Wilson, Mark (16 August 2013). "Coca-Cola Debuts "Life" Brand, Highlights Deadliness Of Regular Coke". Fast Company. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
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