The Swiss Department of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC) seems to be an advertising slogan from the 70s to remember: “Coke makes more of it”. The drinks manufacturer wants to do with Cola, Fanta, Sprite and other drinks from next April, more money. Instead of increasing the price, fits Coca-Cola in the whole of Switzerland on the packaging. The 500-ml PET bottle is a bottle of head small, two inches and about two millimeters thinner. In the future, the bottles hold only 450 ml. However, the price remains the same. This corresponds to an increase of 10 percent. The 1-Liter bottle disappears completely from the market. For Coca-Cola and a 750 ml bottle. Is adapted to the Design of the bottle. So the Brand is engraved in the PET bottle.

Internal long

informed Its approximately 800 employees are the company has informed of in early December in the sessions, as well as with “Confidential” marked E-Mails. Two weeks ago, the two largest customers were informed Migros and Coop about the Changes. Be prepared the current bottles until the middle of March – then Coca produced-Cola only the new bottles to come in mid-April in the shops.

Internally it made the staff realize that the Changes to the optimization of the costs. The employees were also told that the decision to the outside world will otherwise communicated, if it should come to media requests. A Statement you have already prepared.

The media office needed yesterday, however, till late in the evening, until you responded to a detailed questionnaire with a General Statement in a few sentences. She confirmed the introduction of the new bottles and said, Coca-Cola to customize the packaging constantly, and I see a tendency to smaller sizes. It is committed to Switzerland as a location, but had to cope with local costs, which had been over the last few years consistently high. We also offer continues to be competitive in price.

“Hidden price increase”

For Prisca Birrer-Heimo is clear: “The product Coca-Cola does not appear to change nothing, therefore, is nothing else than a hidden price increase.” For the President of the Foundation for consumer protection this is a very customer unfriendly practices. “We have criticized many times in the past that companies change the packaging and thus the prices increase.” To these allegations, Coca-Cola, no comments.

the two largest markets, the Coca-Cola beverages in Switzerland, give yourself tight-lipped. “We are in talks with Coca-Cola and not for us to comment at present, publicly,” writes about Coop. The Migros confirmed that they had been informed by Coca-Cola on the proposed Modification and in relation to the future design of the product range tested.

don’t you want to comment on whether they adjust the prices of the coke bottles in the future. In Coop and Migros, the 500-ml bottles cost 1.35 francs. Since the purchase of the Coca to Cola for the large distribution, is not to be expected that you offset the price increases for the customer. According to the experience of the consumer advocate, with similar cases, this does not happen often. How large are the margins of a wholesale distributor, stay, however, remain hidden.

In the sales attributed to Coca-Cola HBC with no major changes, as we are told, internally. The company is based on the Italian market, where the new smaller bottle has already been introduced a year ago. The Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, headquartered in Zug is available in almost 30 countries. Of the neighbouring countries of Austria as well as Italy is part of this network. There will continue to be sold in the traditional 500 ml bottle, a corresponding Change will be discussed, in Coca-Cola documents.

parallel imports

The distributors of Coca-Cola in Switzerland, it would be possible to obtain the bottles of corresponding conditions in other countries. To this means discount stores such as Denner, Lidl or Migrolino in the past – at least temporarily–. To corresponding parallel imports wanted to speak, neither Coop nor Migros. However, it is quite possible that you will be in the negotiations a topic. The Argument of Coca-Cola: In the negotiations, the group emphasizes how important the location of the bottling plant in Dietlikon for the Swiss economy. Finally, the current slogan of Coca-Cola HBC also advertising is: “In Coca-Cola’s more to Switzerland than you think”. April is stuck in the bottle, it is less Coca-Cola.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 24.01.2019, 22:01 Uhr