Latest news with #carbonation
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Soda fans claim they have discovered Coca-Cola's latest bizarre cost-cutting trick
Aggravated Coca-Cola fans are claiming the key to company cost-cutting is less carbonation. Nearly 100 Reddit users claimed they noticed an unacceptable difference in the soda's 'fizziness', which they say is a bizarre cost-cutting trick. 'I had a Coke for the first time in a few years, and yeah there was barely any carbonation in it,' a soda fan wrote in a Reddit post. 'I figured I had a bad bottle, but I could see them skimping out on something like that now.' Customers believe Pepsi is performing the same cost-cutting hack now that it's been knocked out of America's top three sodas. 'I have found the same issue with Pepsi. Mainly with the bottles, which sometimes almost seem completely flat, but the cans are not as fizzy either,' a commenter claimed. 'I complained to Pepsi Co a number of times, and tried drinks from various bottling locations. At this point I fully believe it is just a cost cutting measure.' Longtime enemies Coke and Pepsi have been competing for market share for decades, and frequently produce similar beverage flavors and marketing campaigns. Commenters claimed the affected soda was served at restaurant chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell. But Coca-Cola and Pepsi were not Reddit users' only targets in the fizzy diss. Other drinks that didn't meet fans' carbonation standards included Mountain Dew and Orange Celsius. 'The carbonation process is cheap, if they want to skimp, they would skimp on the syrup?,' a Reddit user commented. 'It amazes me the length these big companies will go to cut costs,' another person responded. 'You already produce one of the cheapest, easiest to make products in the not enough?.' Others targeted all corporate companies with their rage. 'At this point, if it is a corporation, their motto is F the current customer/employee to squeeze quarterly profits,' a commenter wrote. Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been bitter rivals in the soda wars for years A Reddit post flooded with comments from soda fans that are unsatisfied with their drinks This year's soda battle exploded when Pepsi copied Coca-Cola's famous 'Share a Coke' campaign with an advertisement dubbed 'Share a Pepsi.' Coke's 'Share a Coke' special launched in the US in 2014 when the company released bottles with popular names on them. Pepsi's latest campaign is all-new and includes food names on its bottles like 'burgers', 'pizza', and 'tacos.' The campaign began around the same time a Coca-Cola spokesperson confirmed fan-favorite Diet Cherry Coke would return to stores five years after discontinuation. The upcoming relaunch is strikingly similar to Dr. Pepper's Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry, a popular product offered by the soda brand since 2009. Both companies were the participants of highly publicized drink swaps. Costco opted to switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola in food courts, while Subway ditched Coca-Cola for Pepsi.
WIRED
06-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- WIRED
Smeg's New SKC01 Soda Maker Offers Beauty and Bubbles
Photograph: Chris Haslam Installation and use is simple. Just screw the standard 400/426-gram CO₂ cylinder into the hole in the base and you're ready to fizz. In the UK, Smeg has partnered with a brand called CO2 You that offers cylinder refill, return, and subscription services, with prices from £25. Buy direct from Smeg and you will receive a free cylinder, but don't expect the same from third-party retailers. Most soda makers have handles or buttons, but the Smeg has a stylish metal dial that keeps the design lines uncluttered. The knurled metal ring is a pleasure to use, and the base is stable enough for one-handed operation, although getting the current level of fizz into your water does take practice. Busy With the Fizzy Photograph: Chris Haslam The supplied instructions are a little too basic, suggesting that turning the dial once, twice, or three times will boost your bubble level. What it doesn't say, however, is how long you turn the dial for. Again, I asked Smeg, and they told me that carbonation levels are subjective, as a rule. But as a rule, if you spritz for two seconds, you'll get light bubbles— leggermente frizzante , if you're feeling Italian—four seconds for a medium fizz, and hold for six for the full club soda effect. You can also hold the dial to the right until it squeaks, which indicates there's as much CO₂ in there as possible. Obviously, the amount of carbonation will impact the number of cylinders you will get through. I like my water fizzy, and while rated for 13 gallons (60 liters), CO2 You estimates that I'm more likely to get 10 to 11 gallons (45 to 50 liters). It's still a whole lot better than the equivalent number of plastic bottles you'd get through. So it's simple to use, effortlessly stylish, and fizzes water like a charm. And surprisingly, given Smeg's track record, it's not crazy expensive. Still, just be aware that you can currently pick up a perfectly effective, but painfully boring, SodaStream Art with three CO₂ cylinders for just $110.
