They’re taking away our diet cokes!
- Namya Aggarwal
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Namya Aggarwal
A runner, Writer and student (12th Class)
A shortage of canned Diet Coke across major Indian cities has unexpectedly highlighted how global events affect everyday life. Geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted shipping routes, increased freight costs, and raised aluminium prices, creating supply shortages. Despite available substitutes, young consumers remain attached to the unique experience of drinking Diet Coke from a can. The crisis has even inspired themed events, while reminding people that distant wars can have surprisingly local consequences.
A couple days prior to writing this piece I found myself hopping from shop to shop, disappointed, by the perpetual rejections and head nods of shopkeepers when i asked,
“Bhaiya, diet coke hai?”
And now I’m writing this because I finally got an explanation as to why the entirety of Mumbai seems to be going through a diet coke famine.
And as it turns out, geopolitical tensions and wars actually do have an impact on the economies and do cause demand-supply issues. Who would have thought that??
So, there’s a very apparant and a very ubiquotous shortage of what the kids nowdays are calling a “fridge ciggarette” i.e. diet coke. And this is primarily occuring in metropolies like Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, etc.
Oh, but however does the drama between US/Israel and Iran affect my daily beverage, my indulgence, my very lifeline?!
Yes,
So firstly,
the Strait of Hormuz is blocked due to geopolitical reasons and the whole war thingy.
This means freight ships and import ships have to either take extremely long routes or they just sit pretty and don’t send their cokes to us.
Additionally, the prices to ship stuff to India is so much more expensive now because if you’re using longer routes you’re using more fuel and lo and behold! Even fuel prices are higher than Snoop Dog!
So you see how its almost a no-win situation, right? And thus, there’s a consequent deficiency in supply.
Secondly,
People are actually significantly crazier about the canned diet cokes rather than just sugarless cokes in general.
Canned diet cokes are made of aluminium, the prices of which have, increased by 14–20%.
At the same time, production of cans in India is operating nearly 20% below demand.
Coke zero can be found in abundance, but canned one’s can’t.
This emphasises what a staple canned diet cokes really are. Its not just coke, its an experience. Its the invigorating journey of pulling out a chilled can adorned with condensed droplets of water.
Its the excitement ones feels from the top of their head till the end of their pinky-toe when they’re about to click open the lid.
Its the euphoria one feels when they get to experience the otherworldly feeling of connecting one’s lips to the sharp but inviting edges of the can.
Additionally, diet coke’s offer an overall elevated consumer experience. Their packaging is sleek, minimalistic and chic, which resonates with current aesthetic trends.
The classic, silver contained with its elegant red writing is the most recognizable and wanted of all.
On the other hand, Diet Pepsi, Thums-Up, and other similar beverages are sold in PET bottles.
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) are the transparent bottles mostly used to back soft drinks. And these bottles just don’t have the same feel that the aluminium cans do.
They offer a cheaper, ordinary, sub-par experience compared to what a diet coke does.
And thus, even though there are several substitutes, the Indian youth remains visibly crazy about their diet cokes.
However, this crisis, rather than downing spirits, is prompting the emergence of new concepts.
In a Reuter’s article, Ninecamp CEO Chaitanya Mathur said “For the young people it’s about scarcity being a premise of the entire event.
That’s where the fun is — the less there is of something is when they want more of it” This is further emphasised by Diet Coke themed parties that are being organised by GenZ’s as well as several ticketed events being offered by restaurants.
To add to this, Coca-Cola has started packaging its beverage in 200 ml glass bottles.
These are available on Indian quick commerce sites such as Zepto, Blinkit, etc at Rs. 100 or (1.05 USD).
With lower cost and cheap plastic utilised in packaging, beverages in glass bottles are almost a thing of the past.
This pivot by the company not only brought back nostalgic times but prevented shortage of stock as well.
I feel that the Diet Coke crisis enabled the youth to truly comprehend the gravity of the situation.
The effects of a war are being felt by us in real time and that has definitely sparked a sense of relatability. We all share collective frustration and angst.
And that makes this war feel all too real.
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