Fake Coca-Cola in China

[Gus]

So an American friend just told me that only the shiny (reflective red) cans of Coke are real; the matte, cheaper-looking cans are shanzhai sugar-water. I was shocked. I had always assumed the matte red was just Coca-Cola China cutting some costs in a poorer market, but now that I think about it it would make sense and also explain why I usually think Chinese Coke is shittier than American Coke. Can anyone confirm or deny this rumor?

[amandagmu]

Meh. Probably true. ... On the other hand, isn't it all just sugar water anyways?

[Gus]

Nooooooo! It's so much more! Coke fans back me up!

[WestTexas]

Yeah, I don't ever drink cola, but I find it hard to believe someone couldn't get used a brand that tasted a little different if they really wanted to.

[jbradfor]

isn't it all just sugar water anyways

The same could be said of orange juice.

[stoney]

Is it really shanzhai it they make it so obvious by changing the appearance of the can?

[JianLi]

Never buy things in 'news stand'（报亭), except newspapers maybe.

[Guest realmayo]

I remember reading somewhere that in the US fructose is cheaper and therefore commonly used for sugaring fizzy drinks, but in China and lots of other parts of Asia they use cane sugar, which is widely cultivated there. This could be wrong, or I've misremembered what I read. I don't really know what fructose is. But it could account for the taste difference between even legit cans of Coke in China and their US versions.

[skylee]

I usually think Chinese Coke is shittier than American Coke.

But it could account for the taste difference between even legit cans of Coke in China and their US versions.

I guess the taste difference is the difference between shitty and shittier?

It is likely that what realmayo said is the reason IMHO. But I have never tasted American coke. And I can't tell the difference between Chinese coke and non-Chinese coke. But I am always weak in telling subtle difference.

[roddy]

I doubt there's that much fake Coke around to be honest - the margins wouldn't be great, and Coke has a pretty well-established presence so would be well-placed to go after the pirates. What I could believe is that there are different bottling plants with different equipment, and that might make a difference - could be meant to go to different markets (ie, village 小卖部s vs Beijing 便利店 chains).

You'll grow out of it anyway.

[feihong]

Coke in the US uses high-fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar. It is because of the corn subsidies granted by the government to corn farmers, which makes corn syrup a much cheaper ingredient. Certainly some people think that corn syrup is less healthy than cane sugar, but in the end it's all just a crap ton of sugar you are dumping into your mouth, so it hardly makes that much difference.