Brenda Khan
Coca-Cola's first diet soft drink, Tab, was released in 1963. The low-calorie, low-sugar drink was the company's first zero-calorie product, sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin. Tab was a popular drink across the US, but its market share dwindled over the years, with sales making up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio by 2019. Coca-Cola discontinued Tab in 2020, 57 years after its launch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Tab |
| Year of Launch | 1963 |
| Calories | Zero |
| Sweeteners | Saccharin and cyclamate |
| Target Audience | Diabetics |
| Popularity | Very popular across the US |
| Year of Discontinuation | 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
Coca-Cola's first diet soft drink, Tab, was released in 1963
Tab was not the first diet soda on the market, as Royal Crown Cola's Diet Rite and Hyman Kirsch's No-Cal were introduced in 1958 and 1952, respectively. However, these early products were marketed to diabetics and not widely to dieters. Coca-Cola's Tab was a success, prompting other manufacturers to release their own diet drinks, such as Pepsi's Patio Diet Cola (now Diet Pepsi) and Dr. Pepper's Like (now Diet 7 Up).
Over the years, Tab's market share declined, and by 2019, its sales made up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio. Despite this, Tab retained a devoted fanbase, as seen during a Tab shortage in 2018, which caused fans to stockpile the drink and circulate petitions to save it.
In 2020, Coca-Cola announced it would discontinue Tab after 57 years on the market. The company aimed to streamline its portfolio and cut underperforming brands, planning to eliminate half of its 500 brands. While some lamented the loss of Tab, others expressed their dislike for its taste, describing it as a combination of "motor oil, ground-up aspirin, and carbonated water."
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Tab was the first popular diet soft drink in the US
The Coca-Cola Company used innovative techniques to come up with the name "Tab". The marketing research department used an IBM 1401 computer to generate a list of over 185,000 four-letter words with one vowel, which was then narrowed down to a list of about twenty names. The name "Tabb" was chosen, influenced by the possible play on words, and it was later shortened to "Tab".
Tab's popularity continued to grow throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and it became a cultural icon. The drink was so well-loved that it inspired a loyal fan base, with some people even referring to themselves as "Tab-aholics". However, in the early 1970s, studies linked saccharin, the sweetener used in Tab, to bladder cancer in rats. As a result, Congress mandated warning labels on products containing the sweetener, and sales of Tab took a hit.
Despite the cancer scare, Tab managed to remain commercially successful for a while. In 1982, it was the best-selling diet soda in the US. However, that same year, Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke, which quickly overtook Tab in popularity. Over the years, Tab's market share continued to dwindle, and in 2019, its sales made up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio.
In 2020, Coca-Cola discontinued Tab after 57 years on the market. The decision broke the hearts of many loyal Tab drinkers, who had fond memories associated with the drink. Despite the drink's discontinuation, it continues to have a cult following, with some fans even creating the "Save Tab Soda Committee" to try and bring it back.
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Tab was discontinued in 2020 after 57 years
Tab, Coca-Cola's first diet soda, was discontinued in 2020 after 57 years on the market. Tab was launched in 1963 and was the company's first zero-calorie drink. It was sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin instead of sugar, making it a popular choice among diabetics and dieters.
Tab was not Coca-Cola's first attempt at a diet drink. In 1962, the company launched a clear Tab soda to turn customers off a competing product, Crystal Pepsi. However, both products failed, and Tab was relaunched in 1963 as Coca-Cola's first successful diet drink.
Over the years, Tab's market share dwindled, and by 2019, its sales made up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio. A Tab shortage in 2018 caused loyal fans of the drink to stockpile their favourite beverage, and petitions to save Tab were circulated and sent to the company. Despite this, Coca-Cola discontinued Tab at the end of 2020 as part of its plan to streamline its portfolio and cut underperforming brands.
Tab was discontinued after 57 years, leaving a legacy as Coca-Cola's first popular diet soda. Its discontinuation sparked nostalgia among its devoted fans, who fondly remembered the unique flavour and its place in the history of diet soft drinks.
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Tab was a low-calorie, low-sugar drink
Tab was Coca-Cola's first diet soda, launched in 1963. It was a low-calorie, low-sugar drink, sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin. This gave the drink a bitter, metallic taste, which was off-putting to some consumers. However, Tab was popular among dieters and diabetics, who appreciated the low-calorie and low-sugar content of the beverage.
Tab was Coca-Cola's first foray into the diet soda market, which was already gaining traction in the early 1960s. Prior to Tab, other companies had released diet drinks, such as Royal Crown Cola's Diet Rite in 1958 and Dr. Pepper's diet version in 1962. These early products were initially marketed to diabetics rather than the general population of dieters.
As a result of the success of these early diet drinks, Coca-Cola decided to enter the market with Tab in 1963. The company's use of saccharin and cyclamate allowed them to create a zero-calorie drink. However, the taste of Tab was not a carbon copy of the sugar-sweetened Coca-Cola, and some consumers found it unappealing.
Despite this, Tab became very popular across the US and was even sold in many countries worldwide. It was Coca-Cola's first big diet soda brand and managed to retain some passionate devotees over the years. However, with the introduction of Diet Coke in 1982, Tab's market share began to dwindle. By 2019, its sales made up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio, and in 2020, Coca-Cola announced that they would be discontinuing Tab.
Despite the drink's retirement, Tab played a significant role in the history of Coca-Cola and the diet soda market. It was the first diet drink to achieve widespread popularity and helped pave the way for the success of other diet sodas, such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.
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Coca-Cola's first diet drink with the Coca-Cola name was Diet Coke in 1982
Coca-Cola's first foray into the diet drink market was with Tab in 1963. However, Tab was not branded with the Coca-Cola name. The first Coca-Cola-branded diet drink was Diet Coke, which was introduced in 1982.
Tab was Coca-Cola's first diet drink, and it was popular in the US. It was a zero-calorie drink sweetened with saccharin and cyclamate. However, Tab's market share dwindled over the years, and by 2019, it made up only about 1% of the Coca-Cola portfolio. Coca-Cola retired the brand in 2020, 57 years after its launch.
Other companies had already released diet drinks before Coca-Cola entered the market with Tab. Royal Crown Cola created Diet Rite in 1958, which was the first successful diet soda drink. Dr. Pepper followed with a diet version of their beverage in 1962.
In 1982, Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke, its first diet drink with the Coca-Cola name. The new beverage was not a carbon copy of the sugar-sweetened version, but customers took to it, and it became an immediate hit. Today, Diet Coke is Coca-Cola's focus in the diet drink market, and it is sold worldwide.
While Tab is no longer available, it retains a devoted fan base even after its discontinuation. Self-described "Tab-aholics" stockpiled the drink during a shortage in 2018 and circulated petitions to save it.
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Frequently asked questions
Coca-Cola's first diet soft drink was Tab, released in 1963.
Tab was sweetened using a combination of saccharin and cyclamate, creating a zero-calorie drink.
Coca-Cola developed Tab as a response to the success of Royal Crown Cola's Diet Rite, which was the fourth-best-selling soft drink in the country by 1960.
Tab was initially marketed towards diabetics, but it soon became popular among dieters.
Coca-Cola discontinued Tab in 2020 after 57 years on the market.
