Vending

COVID-19 kills Coca-Cola’s Tab

Image courtesy of Coca-Cola Co.

October 16, 2020

Tab, Coca-Cola's first diet cola, has fallen victim to the soda giant's plans to reduce its 500 brands in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The diet soda launched in the 1970s but has dropped to 0.1% of the $22 billion diet cola sales, according to Euromonitor International.

Coca-Cola previously eliminated its Odwalla juice and smoothie business and announced plans to pull Zico coconut water, Sprite Lymonade, Coke Life, Diet Coke Feisty Cherry, Northern Neck Ginger Ale, Mendota Springs seltzer and Delaware Punch.

While it is removing Tab, Coca Cola continues to hold the top spots in the diet soda category with Diet Coke, which holds 35% of the category's sales, and Coke Zero Sugar, at 22%.

"We're forever grateful to TaB for paving the way for the diets and lights category, and to the legion of TaB lovers who have embraced the brand for nearly six decades," Kerri Kopp, group director, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola North America, said in a prepared statement. "If not for TaB, we wouldn't have Diet Coke or Coke Zero Sugar. TaB did its job. In order to continue to innovate and give consumers the choices they want today, we have to make decisions like this one as part of our portfolio rationalization work."

For an update on how the coronavirus is affecting the convenience services industry, click here.