SainsburyâÂÂs Cola, formerly Classic Cola, is a carbonated cola soft drink, launched in circa 1966. It is made for the UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's.
SainsburyâÂÂs Cola was first introduced In circa 1966. Unlike other store brand colas, which are seen as cheap versions of the real thing, SainsburyâÂÂs Cola was designed to be a worthy competitor to main rivals Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
In 1994, it was relaunched as âÂÂClassic Colaâ to coincide with the launch of the new contender in the cola business at that time, Virgin Cola. This was during a period of time which the UK media dubbed "the cola wars". The global food giants pressed the UK government to add a clause in the debated Trade Mark bill, to stop retailers from using look-a-like branding. The product was made for Sainsbury's by the Canadian Cott Corporation. Coca-Cola took Sainsbury's to court and won, forcing a change in the design of the product.
Classic Cola was so successful that in 1994 it represented 13% of the total UK cola market, up from 2.5%. It also increased SainsburyâÂÂs own brand cola share in its stores from 12% to over 60%. Coca-ColaâÂÂs share in SainsburyâÂÂs stores reduced from 63% to 30% as a result. Classic Cola became SainsburyâÂÂs most successful own brand product during that year. The product won several awards including Best New Product Award at the Marketing Society/ITV Awards.
Following the re-branding of the core SainsburyâÂÂs own label range to âÂÂby SainsburyâÂÂsâ in 2013, the Classic Cola range has since been re-branded as âÂÂCola by SainsburyâÂÂsâÂÂ, but is referred to once again as âÂÂSainsburyâÂÂs Colaâ on its in store shelf edge labels and on its website.
Sainsbury's continues to sell own brand Cola, but it no longer has the same brand recognition as the two major brands Coca-Cola and Pepsi..
When SainsburyâÂÂs Cola was re-launched as Classic Cola in 1994, SainsburyâÂÂs, who was then the UKâÂÂs largest supermarket chain, felt it had the clout for Classic Cola to have its own separate television adverts, which were broadcast after the endorsement of ITV GMTV.
In 1994 Classic Cola featured in a taste test against Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Virgin Cola on the ITV GMTV television programme Sunday Night Clive. Carrie Fisher shunned Coca-Cola for Classic Cola. Following this, SainsburyâÂÂs saw a substantial increase in sales of Classic Cola as a result. The value of Classic ColaâÂÂs media exposure during the first two months of its re-launch was estimated at ã1 million.
When SainsburyâÂÂs Cola was re-branded as Classic Cola in 1994, the emphasis was placed on the Classic Cola name as a separate brand in its own right, with the then SainsburyâÂÂs logo reduced to a much smaller font. The design of the Classic Cola font also closely resembled that of Coca-Cola. Cola-Cola subsequently threatened legal action, so SainsburyâÂÂs had to change the Classic Cola font, to place greater emphasis on âÂÂColaâÂÂ, with a reduction in the size and prominence of the word âÂÂClassicâÂÂ.