Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink first sold in 1886 at a pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, and today the flagship product of The Coca-Cola Company. Available in virtually every country on earth, it is one of the most recognized brands in history — the default cola in supermarkets, restaurants and vending machines worldwide.

The company's real product is distribution: a global network of bottling partners puts the drink within arm's reach of most of humanity, and more than a century of marketing has made the red label a synonym for cola itself. The portfolio has grown to hundreds of brands, from Fanta and Sprite to water, juice and coffee.

Criticism centers on health and environment. The classic recipe's sugar content draws scrutiny from public-health bodies, Coca-Cola has been named the world's largest branded plastic polluter for several consecutive years in Break Free From Plastic's global brand audits, and its water consumption in drought-prone bottling regions remains contested. In the drinks aisle, Coca-Cola is the reference point that alternatives measure themselves against.