Coca-Cola has got back to us on the issue we had raised earlier on insects being found in a 200-ml Coke bottle
We had earlier reported on how a few insects were found in a 200-ml Coke bottle (http://www.moneylife.in/article/8/4652.html) and the delay in Coca-Cola's reply (http://www.moneylife.in/article/78/4694.html).
The soft-drink major has got back to us. In an email received by us today, Coca-Cola clarifies: “The outlet has no Coca-Cola 200 ml stock of 20 March 2010 in the store. Other filled stocks and empty bottles present in the store are of different manufacturing dates. Therefore, the possibility of any spurious products getting into the outlet is being investigated. We have on occasion received complaints of spurious and counterfeit products, and have in the past sought support from police and other law-enforcing authorities to unearth such rackets. What compounds our ability to accurately conduct a product and package integrity investigation in our laboratory is that the package in the given case is open and empty."
Coke has gone on to describe its state-of-the-art manufacturing machinery and has invited Moneylife to inspect its facilities at Wada, near Mumbai.
All through, our intention has not been to malign the reputation of the manufacturer. The points that Coke makes in its letter are well taken. However, we would hasten to add that control on the entire supply-chain mechanism is a responsibility that lies squarely on Coca-Cola's shoulders. There is no point in manufacturing a quality product if there are leakages in the last-mile connectivity.
Again, caveat emptor cannot be applied in this case, as you cannot expect a customer to inspect a bottle before consuming the contents.
Whether the product is spurious or otherwise, the jury is out on this one.
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a) The sealing technology (press cap) that they use for their soft drink in bottles in India is now centuries old. Better and cheaper technologies are available. Biggest question - why don't they change?
b) Carbonated waters sold from "fountains", in open condition, are no better. There is no control on water quality at such outlets. Invites to factories, fine, why not surprise checks on the fountains?
c) It is an open and known secret that at the ground level the fake bottlers and regular salespersons are aware of each other's existence, and are often hand in glove.
d) The fake product tastes exactly like the genuine product because the powder formulations are very easily available. For Coke/Pepsi et al, a sale is a sale, whether genuine or through grey channels. Something like mobile phones, whether bought directly from the legal market or from the grey market.
You should not let Coke/Pepsi off the hook in such cases.Please do take the ppoints listed above and pursue the matter further. Thanks/
A case in point: in TN, lots of spurious medicines were seized (in Crores of Rupees)
How does one expect to control these but for the Govt. machinery?
It is a mafia out there
Poor Coke: Neither can they chew nor gulp - just stay stuck in the mouth (translation of a Tamil proverb)
Coca Cola cannot be expected to leave its bottling & dedicate a marketing machinery to the nook & corner of the country.
NB: I am not a Coca cola fan nor a Cola fan.