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What is the deal with Pepsi outside of the UK and US?


SpursRiot2012

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As many of you know, I am currently struggling with an addiction that may well cut my life short.

That addiction is Pepsi Max and, more specifically, Pepsi Max Cherry. In the UK, you can get a Pepsi from any shop selling soft drinks, mostly alongside Coke. I also read somewhere that Pepsi is more popular than Coca-Cola even in the US.

Yet, in recent years, I've traveled all around South East Asia and continental Europe, and I don't think I've found one outlet selling Pepsi, let alone Pepsi Max or Pepsi Max Cherry. It's all original Coca-Cola and Coke Zero.

Does anyone know if there is a particular reason for this beyond Pepsi just not having got into those countries, or does Coke have some kind of deal in shops in many countries abroad where they cannot also sell Pepsi? What's the deal?

I am so looking forward to flying into London Luton airport next week. My very first action past passport control will be to find and drink a bottle of Pepsi Max, Cherry preferable. I've been getting by on Coke Zero on my travels but it just isn't the same at all.

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For all we mock, I do also share your Pepsi Max addiction. It’s something which should be easy enough to break, but it seriously isn’t and it’s clearly down to the additives.

I started drinking it because it was a way to keep drinking pop but not worry about piling on weight, obviously ignoring every other negative health connotation.

Anyway, I don’t know the answer to your question, but I’ve definitely observed it. However, both companies websites state that they sell their respective drinks in around 200 countries. 

And as a pretty believable added bit of info, Coke Cola is technically allowed to be bought and sold in ever country, bar Cuba and North Korea.

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I was a cola addict for over 20 years and was a Pepsi Max addict for the last ten, drinking at least a 2ltr bottle everyday.

I finally gave up 3/4 months ago due to the cost. £1.25ish the cheapest I could get in supermarkets, since Brexit fucked with the exchange rate. I've noticed today its gone up to £1.50.

I tried different things, the carbonated waters I tried all had a chemical after tastes. I finally switched to diet Lemonade (Asda 35p per bottle, no caffeine or sweeteners) and bought some caffeine pills online to wean myself off and prevent withdrawal migraines. I was going to trail off over a few weeks but by day 2 I was fine. I did have to push through wanting an afternoon nap though, I've been running on caffeine for decades so it was strange to be without it.

RESIST!

 

 

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I can see how Spurs thought Pepsi was more popular, most pubs you go into and ask for a Jack and  (diet) Coke (i can't drink cola of any kind straight) they always say "it's Pepsi max is that ok?" Pepsi seems to have the pub soft drink monopoly sewn up, look at those refillable Pepsi machines they have in loads of places.

HOWEVER with the news in the week that Coca-Cola have bought Costa from Whitbred it got me to thinking how this might affect that - will Coca-Cola start only letting pubs have a Costa machine / station if they change their soft drinks supply to a Coke one? Think of all the pounds, leisure centres, soft play centres, cinemas etc with a Costa machine that currently stock Pepsi, if they all change to come that's MASSIVE

 

anyway, I always but little bottles of Pepsi max to go with my Jack because I once read that Elvis preferred Pepsi to Coke and if it's good enough for the King.....

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Didn't Coke have some sort of deal with the US military. That allowed them to be the sole supplier to overseas US bases. Thus allowing Coke to gain a foothold in places like Vietnam and proliferate in that part of the world. Once they gained a stranglehold they never let go. I'm sure I saw or read something along those lines.

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McDonalds sell the most Coca Cola in the world so you would imagine that open doors and exposure in that everyone likes Coca Cola (it sells) but also its marketable if the golden arches sell it. Not that Coca Cola need McDonalds but in some parts of the world you would imagine it helps massively.

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15 hours ago, SpursRiot2012 said:

In the UK, you can get a Pepsi from any shop selling soft drinks, mostly alongside Coke. I also read somewhere that Pepsi is more popular than Coca-Cola even in the US.

Yet, in recent years, I've traveled all around South East Asia and continental Europe, and I don't think I've found one outlet selling Pepsi, let alone Pepsi Max or Pepsi Max Cherry. It's all original Coca-Cola and Coke Zero.

I don't know if you've ever been to Ireland but it's ubiquitous over here as well.

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5 hours ago, BigJag said:

Didn't Coke have some sort of deal with the US military. That allowed them to be the sole supplier to overseas US bases. Thus allowing Coke to gain a foothold in places like Vietnam and proliferate in that part of the world. Once they gained a stranglehold they never let go. I'm sure I saw or read something along those lines.

Maybe our resident Vietnam correspondent @simonworden can let us know the Pepsi situation there?

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4 hours ago, Onyx2 said:

Hey that's a thought. We could soon see Costa in McDonald's. 

This coke / Costa deal is unreal. Such a good match for both parties. 

I hope not - I love McDonalds coffee. Apparently it's a better quality/grade than the likes of Costa & Starbucks etc, but McDs can sell it at such a reasonable price because they buy such a large quantity of it.

I love Pepsi Lime in the refill machines, but you can't seem to buy that anywhere in the UK 

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9 hours ago, Onyx2 said:

Hey that's a thought. We could soon see Costa in McDonald's. 

This coke / Costa deal is unreal. Such a good match for both parties. 

I would happily settle for just a big coke machine with those hundreds of flavour combination in Costas.

I doubt it will happen as it may attract the wrong type into a coffee shop though (imagine the older folk and all the young teens in there) but it would do for me who just loves a ice cold cola with lots of ice.

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49 minutes ago, Briefcase said:

would happily settle for just a big coke machine with those hundreds of flavour combination in Costas

Yeah I'm sad the Five Guys one has been nerfed 😢

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