To think we should be boycotting Coca-Cola

[susan12345678]

Having made a great show of withdrawing from Russia earlier in the year in support of Ukraine, Coca-cola have quietly entered the market with a new Cola product, Dobra. They’ve managed to keep this out of the headlines here so far, only a smattering of outrage from Ukrainians on Twitter

.AIBU to think we should be boycotting a company that behaves in such a sly & egregious way?

I'm confused by the news story
www.hospitalityireland.com/drinks/coca-cola-bottler-starts-making-dobry-cola-in-russia-192722

On the one hand the company bottling it (coca cola hbc) is saying it has nothing to do with coca cola co.

But on the other hand coca cola co own 23% of coca cola hbc.

Dobry however, seems to be a different brand of drinks entirely. So is it like Schweppes being asked to bottle irn bru?

Fortunately I don't care much for fizzy drinks already, so it's not something I have to try hard to avoid buying.

You can virtue signal if you want, go for it! Tell everyone loudly @susan12345678 ! Feel like you’re doing something for The Cause!

The reality is sanctions have not changed Vladimir Putin’s position. Not have boycotts.

I’m finding the mounting indifference to Ukraine’s plight, both in the media and among the general public to be very disappointing.

@SavoirFlair I’m not sure why pointing out this unpleasant example of capitalist sleight of hand is ‘virtue signalling’ - nor am I sure why you’ve capitalised The Cause? It’s an odd response. Do you support Russia?
The sanctions and boycotts to date have been pretty limited in their scope (I have encountered plenty of Russians holidaying in Europe this summer), which may be one reason why they haven’t worked.

Never ever going to happen in a million years.

@Sunnyqueen

could you elaborate? What will never happen?

I'm not going to boycott a business for making a new product. If Coca Cola gets into financial trouble (never going to happen) it's going to be the employees right at the bottom of the food chain who suffer worst.

Coca cola being boycotted for selling to Russia, as per your OP.

I'm not boycotting anything. People forget that behind idea there are employees who need money for living. I'm from Poland and there was big fuss to boycott companies that didn't withdraw from Russia. People were going in to shops saying shit to other customers like "you're buying XYZ whilst people die in Ukraine" blah blah blah. So what are people supposed to do? Go to expensive shop if they have no money? Should we shut the shops and leave people jobless? It sounds nice on social media, but for me it's plain stupidity. Sanctions did nothing to Putin, they only cause more misery to ordinary people.

Good luck with that. List of Coca-Cola brands

girlmom21 · Today 09:27
I'm not going to boycott a business for making a new product. If Coca Cola gets into financial trouble (never going to happen) it's going to be the employees right at the bottom of the food chain who suffer worst.“

this. Ordinary Russian workers are victims of Putin too. He wouldn't suffer but they would.

Its confusing

Good grief! I only got as far as the letter J. They really are everywhere 😮

These huge brands are always awful in numerous ways, Coca cola has been named the world's most polluting brand in plastics for a number of years - 3 million tonnes of it a year. It uses huge amounts of water in it's factories in poor countries such as India leaving the residents with none - guess what they end up drinking instead? People dying of diabetes in Mexico because it's cheaper than water.
Also : In 2007, the Coca-Cola Company announced it would no longer conduct or directly fund laboratory experiments on animals unless required by law to do so. The company's announcement came after PETA criticized the company for funding invasive experiments on animals including one study in which experimenters cut into the face of chimpanzees to study the animals' nerve impulses used in the perception of sweet taste. - How grim is that.

The problem is OP that at the end of the day people don't care unless it directly affects them. Until the company is taking their water so they have none or cutting into their face to see how their nerves perceive sweetness they can just not think or worry about it.

It's the biggest problem the world faces, complete and utter selfishness.

@Choconut

sadly I think you’re right.
there was also a recent study which showed that a handful of brands - led by Coca-Cola - were responsible for 70% of the rubbish collected on British beaches, streets and parks. Yet they are never held to account & people happily buy their products.

www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/08/25/coca-cola-branded-litter/

@susan12345678 Have you previously never drunk Fanta?

(as in I bet you don't know the history)

@Needmorelego
As I recall, I drank it on many occasions as a child - and yes I am familiar with its background, thanks

I would say that British people are responsible for the rubbish collected in parks, streets, etc. Lazy idiots who can't be bothered to dispose waste responsibly. Why blame the company for waste thrown away irresponsibly by people?

@susan12345678 have you previously boycotted the Coca Cola company over the history of Fanta though? Or have you just decided to now because of Russia?

I don’t know a lot about the situation in Russia but we should boycott it anyway because it’s shit.
Basically just sugar and water, terrible for your health.

Sanctions do make a difference but over time. Everyone knows this.

I'm not sure how much Putin will care about coke but anything that dissatisfies the people of Russia is helpful as longer term their dissatisfaction with Putin will grow.

@Needmorelego

I've avoided their products for decades for the many reasons cited upthread. I really don’t follow your point?

Beat me to it. And it's absolutely arseholes responsible for the litter

@susan12345678 you are telling people to boycott their products "because of Russia" but not giving people their full history.

Boycotts are about the signal that's given out; just boycotting Coke alone would probably send a signal out to the company.