Diet Coke Price Hike: Your Favourite No-Sugar Beverage Is Now 70% More Expensive — Know Who Is Behind It?

Diet Coke which is the latest Gen Z obsession is back in the stores in India but this time it has arrived in glass bottles instead of aluminium cans due to a nationwide disruption in the supply of aluminium due to ongoing tension in West Asia. The glass bottle move comes as beverage company is struggling with rising packaging costs and shipping delays due to the Iran-US conflict and the blockage of Strait of Hormoz which has impacted the trade routes and raw material supplies across the region. However, these glass bottles of Diet Coke are much costlier than ordinary aluminium cans. 

New Prices of Diet Coke 

A few weeks ago, the company increased the price of small aluminium can price from Rs 25 to Rs 30. Instead of the price hike, the company was not able to manage the supply chain. The new glass bottle is positioned at a much higher price point of around Rs 100 for 200ml. The retail outlets report that despite a major price hike of around 70 per cent the demand is high, and consumers are ready to pay a premium price.  

The price may remain high until aluminium supplies stabilise and shipping routes in the West Asia region return to normal. 

Diet Coke Glass Bottle Legacy

This is not the first time that the company has been rolling out Diet coke in a glass bottle. Back in 1982 when the company launched diet coke, it was initially introduced in glass bottles. At that time, the beverage industry was rapidly transitioning to lightweight packaging material. However, Coca-Cola maintains the luxury and classic feel of the brand; the company used the traditional 6.5-ounce and 10-ounce contour glass bottles for selling the drink.  

But by late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, glass bottles became less common in grocery stores due to their weight and safety concern due to which the company moved towards plastic bottles and aluminum cans.  

The glass bottles were never completely discontinued. It became limited to European and Mexican market because these markets-maintained glass production much longer than the US and other global market.  

The company also supplied these glass bottles for high-end hospitality in hotels and restaurants. The company also serves 8-ounce (237ml) glass bottles because glass is non-porous and odorless, which keeps the taste crisp and cleaner.  

The company also often collaborated with popular designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagerfeld to design limited edition glass bottles for Diet coke.  

Why Company Choose Glass Bottles?

At this critical time when the global market has been disturbed due to ongoing tension in West Asia, the company is moving back to the glass bottle to fulfil the supply. A glass bottle is on average refiled 15-20 times before being recycled, and this will probably resolve the packaging issue for now. However, these glass bottles are sold at much higher price than a standard can. 

How The Gen Z Market Reacts

The Gen Z and content creator have taken the glass bottle on social media and creating fun reels and memes on the moment through which the company is gaining massive attention online for free. The consumers are loving the new aesthetic packaging and rushing to retail stores and quick commerce platform for the glass bottle Diet Coke.

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