Coca-Cola launches Zero

Coca-Cola Zero is a no added sugar product, which the soft drinks giant claims has a taste much closer to original Coke than Diet Coke.

CCE will be spending an astonishing £8m in four weeks when the brand hits the nation's shelves in July.

It is a permanent addition to the brand portfolio and the sales teams will be recommending licensees to stock it alongside original Coke and Diet Coke.

Andy Slee, CCE trading director for licensed, said: "We are really excited about launching Coca-Cola Zero into the licensed channel and believe it will offer a real opportunity for publicans to re-invigorate sales of carbonated soft drinks.

"Coca-Cola Zero will not only taste great but will be an excellent accompaniment with pub food. About 70 per cent of consumers in the licensed trade are men so Coca-Cola Zero will be an essential product within the channel."

The new product will not be served on draught in the on-trade, only in 330ml bottles. Mr Slee said this decision was taken because the packaged format has experienced a sales growth of over 40 per cent in the year to January 2006; sales of postmix, however, had remained flat. "This clearly shows us that consumers increasingly see added appeal in a bottled serve format," he added. "Coca-Cola Zero's stunning sleeve design will make the experience of drinking even more special."

Coca-Cola Zero has already been introduced into the United States and Australia. An eight week trial in Australia saw Coca-Cola Zero driving growth in the Australian cola sector up to 19 per cent year-on-year, and just 6 weeks into the launch period the product had reversed the decline in the entire carbonated soft drinks sector.

The grand plan for CCE in the UK is to eventually introduce the Zero concept to all of its other carbonated soft drinks brands, including Sprite, Fanta, Dr Pepper and Lilt.