SBL launches new size soft drinks |22 December 2005

Launched on Friday at SBL’s O’Brien House offices, the new 500ml bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta, have gone on sale at a recommended retail price of R4.25.

Working out at 85c per 100ml, compared to 66c per 100ml in the 300ml glass bottles, the new sized soft drink bottles are more expensive than the traditional SBL soft drinks, but SBL is hoping that by being, “trendier and more convenient,” as well as “lighter than the glass bottles, unbreakable and resealable,” the new range will prove popular.

A press release from the company states that, “The 50cl packaging has done very well in other markets and has considerably replaced the returnable glass bottles and we foresee the same to happen here.”

Difficulties in obtaining foreign exchange have made the use of returnable glass bottles a useful option for SBL.

“We have been supported by our parent company for this project,” said the company’s Sales and Marketing Manager Daphne Raoul explaining how SBL had found the foreign exchange necessary to produce the new bottles.

In addition to saving on foreign exchange the use of returnable glass bottles also tackled the problem of littering.

With the removal of the incentive to return the new empty plastic bottles to the supplier fears were raised that the bottles would be inappropriately discarded.

“We have a plan - we are in discussion with a local company and the Ministry of Environment - for setting up a system which will ensure that all of the bottles will be taken out of the country. There is a possibility that this will include other bottlers,” said Ms Raoul, adding that more details on the bottle collection scheme would be released this week.

SBL is planning to launch 500ml bottles of Bitter lemon, Cocktail de Fruit and Orangeade in early 2006.