Coca-Cola GB Campaign, Packaging Redesign Nudge Consumers Toward Lower-Sugar Options

Coca-Cola Great Britain has launched a new design for the Coca-Cola range, featuring new-look packaging for original Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola zero sugar. The changes unify both varieties with the trademark Coca-Cola red and form part of the company’s commercial strategy to encourage more people to try Coca-Cola zero sugar. Along with the redesign, a £5 million marketing campaign communicates the changes to consumers, featuring 10- and 30-second ads alongside out-of-home advertising. The ad, “One Way or Another,” reminds consumers they can enjoy Coca-Cola, with or without sugar.

By Sustainable Brands | Published 6 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Coca-Cola Great Britain has launched a new design for the Coca-Cola range, featuring new-look packaging for original Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola zero sugar. The changes unify both varieties with the trademark Coca-Cola red and form part of the company’s commercial strategy to encourage more people to try Coca-Cola zero sugar.

Along with the redesign, a £5 million marketing campaign communicates the changes to consumers, featuring 10- and 30-second ads alongside out-of-home advertising. The ad, “One Way or Another,” reminds consumers they can enjoy Coca-Cola, with or without sugar.

Starting in September, the bottles and cans of both varieties will feature the trademark Coca-Cola red label with a coloured band across the top of the bottle or can to denote whether it is the original taste or zero sugar. The bottles will also feature coloured caps to help consumers differentiate between the original recipe and no-sugar varieties.

The packaging changes are the latest move in the company’s commercial strategy to drive sales of its no-sugar drinks, such as Coca-Cola zero sugar, zero-sugar cherry, zero-sugar peach and zero-sugar vanilla. This builds on the launch of the new Coca-Cola zero sugar in 2016, when it was given a new recipe and look; since then, Coca-Cola claims it has become the fastest growing no-sugar cola in UK retail[1], and that today, 58 percent of the Coca-Cola sold in retail in the UK is no sugar.[2] According to Marketing Week, Coca-Cola is aiming for 50 percent of its sales to come from lower- or no-sugar beverages as it reacts to changing consumer trends and looks to offset the impact of the UK sugar tax (which has increased the price of original Coke).

Coca-Cola Marketing Manager Alec Mellor said: “For more than 130 years, the colour red has been associated with the great taste and experience of enjoying a Coca-Cola, and we want to make it even clearer that you can have that taste and experience with or without sugar. Sales of Coca-Cola zero sugar have almost doubled in the last two years [3], and we believe this latest change will help us grow it even further and encourage more people to give it a try.”

Coca-Cola Great Britain says all of its packaging will continue to be 100 percent recyclable and the company has a commitment to increase the recycled plastic in all of its bottles from 25 to 50 percent by 2020.

[1] Coca-Cola zero sugar is the fastest-growing no-sugar cola in grocery and convenience up 35.4% in value and 23.9% in vol - Nielsen MAT Total Coverage 04.08.2018

[2] Coca-Cola zero sugar and Diet Coke sales (volume) YTD July 2018.

[3] Coca-Cola zero sugar sales (volume) YTD July 2018 compared to YTD July 2016, Nielsen. Coca-Cola zero sugar relaunched in July 2016 with a new recipe and new look.