It's hard to believe but over the years the original formula for Coca-Cola has been tweaked and changed regularly.
Now Coca-Cola South Africa has confirmed it cut the sugar in its drinks by a quarter (26%) before the new sugar tax was implemented in SA.
It's worth keeping in mind that additives are also part of the formula. Among other ingredients, fructose in syrup is used.
The recipe has been tweaked over a period of 2 years, slowly adding fructose, so it won't shock your taste buds.
Coca-Cola also tastes different depending on where in the world you might be. The company explained on it's website that this is because "it is possible for the same soft drink to vary slightly in taste due to other factors such as the temperature at which it is consumed, the foods with which it is consumed, or the conditions in which it is stored prior to consumption."
South Africa is not the only country cutting down on sugar - meaning Coca-Cola needs to adapt to the new requirements.
In 2014, Mexico introduced a 1 peso per litre soda tax owing to the country’s growing problem with diabetes – and fizzy drink sales decreased by 5.5% in the first year and 9.7% in the second year.
The UAE introduced a strict sugar tax in October 2017 – a 100% tax on energy drinks and 50% tax on soft drinks – and has since reported high compliance with its excise taxes.