Coke launches three new products in the UK

28-Feb-2018 - Last updated on 28-Feb-2018 at 12:18 GMT

Advertising drive: Diet Coke has been rebranded

Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola will launch three new drinks in the UK, backed by a multimillion-pound marketing campaign, in a bid to become what it calls a “total beverage company”.

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) GB vice-president and general manager Leendert den Hollander revealed at a press event yesterday (27 February) that, in 2018, the company would “grow our core range and add more”.

The three new products set to launch in the UK would focus on areas of consumer interest including health and wellbeing.

Although the drinks will not be available in the on-trade yet, and will be launched into the off-trade, The Morning Advertiser understands some of the new products and other launches could be targeted at pubs.

This year, CCEP will bring iced tea brand Fuzetea, plant-based drink Adez and its Honest range of iced coffee and fruit juices to the UK market.

Although not necessarily known in the UK, Coca-Cola owns the global-leading iced coffee brand, as well as leading the sparkling soft drinks and water market.

“In 2018, we’re bringing three new brands to the UK market and that’s the way we that we want to go about business – to grow our core and add more,” said Hollander.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Other products in the portfolio will be updated or have new flavours added to them, including Diet Coke, which has been redesigned; Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which will see new flavours launched; and Sprite, which will be reformulated and see a new flavour launched.

Two new flavours in the Monster range of energy drinks have also been launched – a juice variant and another sugar-free variant.

Sprite will be backed by a £3.3m marketing campaign to launch a redesign, the biggest investment in over five years.

Sprite Regular will transition to Sprite ‘No Sugar’ in post-mix and packaged, ahead of the soft drinks sugar levy this April. A cucumber and lime Sprite drink has also been launched.

CCEP GB customer marketing director Simon Harrison said: “This month marks an exciting time for Sprite as we announce its biggest investment in over five years.

“The brand redesign will look to grow one of our much-loved core brands, which is currently worth almost £55m in Great Britain.”

Diet Coke will receive a £10m advertising campaign this year to support a brand refresh across all packaging formats.

A new ad has also been launched to promote the new look, including a 30-second television infomercial.

Rebrand last year

Following its rebrand last year, which saw the launch of the premium 1783 range, growing Schweppes in the on-trade would continue to be a focus for the company this year said CCEP field sales director for the out-of-home Paul Grace.

“Soft drinks in the licensed trade are worth £4.2bn, to put that into perspective, gin is worth £700m, said Grace.

“Also, 21% of adults in the UK say they are teetotal and 31% say they would eat out more if there were healthier soft drinks options available."

The company will also focus on further reducing the amount of plastic packaging it puts out and will aim to use 50% recycled material in its bottles, said Hollander.

“The bottles we put out in the market by 2020 will have 50% recycled material compared with 25% now,” he added.

“We’re starting to use the reach of our brands to encourage consumers to recycle more, but there is still a lot more work with the industry and the Government to do to increase recycling in the UK.

Meanwhile, CCEP grew revenue by 4.5% and achieved record sales of over £2bn, according to Hollander.