China Has NOT Reclassified Coca-Cola as a Cleaning Product

In the age of social media, misinformation can spread rapidly, especially when accompanied by sensational claims that capture public attention. Recently, a viral post claimed that China plans to reclassify Coca-Cola as a cleaning product instead of a beverage. This alarming assertion has garnered significant attention and raised concerns about the safety of consuming this popular soft drink.

Social Media Claim

Facebook is abuzz with messages claiming that China has banned human consumption of Coca-Cola and recategorised the popular beverage as a cleaning product.

FB | Archived

We noticed a detailed version of the same message, which went on to mention that the decision was based on an experiment conducted using 500 Chinese prisoners, of which 75 died and 150 were infected after consuming Coca-Cola three times a day for six months. The message also stated that the Indian Supreme Court had banned the distribution of Coca-Cola due to health concerns.

Source | Archive

Fact-Check

We started our search using various keywords to verify the accuracy of these recurring claims. While articles from multiple sources, such as here and here, discuss using a popular beverage to clean bathrooms and unclog pipes, we found no verified content confirming the aforementioned claims.

From the search, we found an article from a Russian website called Panorama.pub with the English-translated title "Coca-Cola will be sold as a drain cleaner in China" (Source | Archive). The content of this article matched the detailed narration published in viral posts. Since viral social media claims first went viral in 2018, around the same time as this dubious article’s publication, this was likely the origin of viral claims.

Yet, this website is known as a satirical article website (Source). Even at the end of the article, a label states, "All texts on this site are grotesque parodies of reality and are not real news."

Coca-Cola’s Response

On its official website, Coca-Cola states that while its beverages can help clean off dirt due to their acidic nature and phosphoric acid content, they are ineffective cleaning agents for toilets. Coca-Cola is a drink, not a cleaning product, and although it can remove some stains, it does not effectively kill germs.

For thorough cleaning and disinfection, products specifically designed for cleaning are much more effective and recommended. They further mentioned that you get a similar effect if you use other acidic foods and drinks, like lemon juice. Coca-Cola | Archived

Further, the Coca-Cola company clarifies that the edible acid in Coca-Cola is perfectly safe to drink and is not as strong as your natural stomach acid. Read here.

Coca-Cola in China

As evident from Coca-Cola’s official website for China, the company offers a wide range of products for the Chinese market and has multiple production bases there.

In February 2024, the website Chinadaily reported that Coca-Cola expects to regain its market share in China this year. The company expressed confidence in its growth strategies, increased investment in production, and brand marketing innovations.

Advertising Campaign by Coca-Cola in China (Source: Campaign Brief Asia)

In line with strategy, in May 2024, Swire Coca-Cola Ltd, Coca-Cola's fifth-largest global bottler by sales volume, started operations at a brand-new factory with 11 new beverage production lines in South China's economic powerhouse province of Guangdong. The company expects to expand its investment in the Chinese market to exceed 12 billion yuan from 2023 to 2032. More on this here.

We also checked about the Coca-Cola ban's claims in India, and there was a temporary ban in Kerala in 2006. However, this lasted just over a month, and the Kerala High Court quashed the Kerala government’s order to ban the production and sale of Coca-Cola. More on this here.

Summary

In conclusion, the claim that China will no longer sell Coca-Cola as a beverage and will categorise it as a cleaning product is entirely false. This misinformation originated from a Russian parody website and has no factual basis. Coca-Cola continues to be a popular beverage worldwide, including in China.

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