Is Cadburys owned by Coke?

Syth

I'm a UCD student, and coke is now banned from student union shops AFAIK. I've heard somewhere that cadburys is owned by coke. Is this true? If it is, it also means that the shops can't sell Cadburys products. Are any other well know products owned (even in part) by coke? I don't want to start a debate on the referendum.

dahamsta

Google is your Friend

(Grep for Schweppes too.)

Coca-Cola's brand list is rather extensive. You'll need to get rid of Fanta, Sprite and 7-Up for a start...

adam

Q3000

No they are 2 different companies, Cabury Schweppes is a UK company and Coca Cola is a US one

Hobbes

Can you tell us why it is banned? The reason I ask is I am seeing quite a few shops removing Coke from thier stores or giving Pepsi more shefl space in the past couple of weeks.

If it's over the court case, the only thing proven that I know of was they cheated on a competition, the poison claim was totally bogus (but because the guy won his claim, it sounds like it was true).

You will find a lot of these companies are interlinked. There was a no-smoking webiste (outrage.org ? ) that listed the little spider web of cigerette companies that owned food companies.

But that list isn't it.

Syth

It was banned over the deaths of trade unionists in Colombia. Some say Coke was responsible, other say they aren't. Loadsa stuff'll have to go. I just thought that if Coke owned Cadburys then it'd have to go automatically. But yay! we get to keep our chocolate.

Hobbes

wow missed that story (did a check now).

Guess I won't be drinking DC from now on.

Sangre

Bah it was one of those debates where only those who wanted to get rid of coke vote whie the rest were too lazy.

how many times do i have to tell you people DEMOCRACY DOESNT WORK!!

Syth

Yeah it was really close, as far as I know.
Give it a month or two and a 'Bring back coke' campaign will start up and people who were inconvienced will vote in force.

Capt'n Midnight

RE: If it's over the court case, the only thing proven that I know of was they cheated on a competition,

Remember PEPSI and the guy who collected 11 million tokens for harrier jump jet as advertised on TV ?
Or the competition in the Philipines where too many people won so they didn't pay out and there were litterly killings over it ?

Hobbes

Pepsi and Coke are two different companies.

I was talking about this case.
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/ap/ap_story.html/Financial/AP.V5647.AP-Coca-Cola-Lawsu.html;COXnetJSessionID=1NWXWjLvEbWVRMB2QpNAqfpMDqOY1oMJJOLXxIy4f9U22cCQxqNh!76850718?urac=n&urvf=10662437354010.21135717486518413

What is intresting about the story is (and it has been changed everywhere since I went back), the guy was claiming a lot of things, one of which that coke knew there was poisonious substances in thier cans from some machine. It was proven false, but intresting that the stories have dropped it.

Also while trying to find that story I came across this one..

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/6966448.htm

secret_squirrel

I had a feeling there was a Cadbury-Schweppes connection with Coke so I went digging on cocacola.co.uk its a stupid flash site but if you go ....about us .... facts ....bottle franchising.pdf (the 4th one) you'll see that they have a joint venture that does most of their UK bottling.
Ireland's in the clear tho synth so your choccy is safe-ish!

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

sceptre

Another question to add to daveirl's (welcome back btw): Is there still a ban on Nestle products in UCD or was that ever actually implemented or passed?

Robbo

Originally posted by daveirl
Back to the UCD stuff who actually banned it? Was it the shops decision or was it boycotted first and then the shop decided not to stock it or what?

It was put to a referendum of the members of the SU and I'd imagine it was banned from all SU-run outlets. Is the campus shop in UCD run by the SU like it is here in NUI,G?

On the same topic, we've had two attempts (before my time, so more than 4 years ago) to ban Nestle products from campus. I think it was defeated both times. Meanwhile we have some protectionist regulation in place that only allows Irish newspapers to be sold in the shop.

rob1891

A lot of evidence of the new ban at lunch today, noticed big red coca cola banner outside the student union building and everyone I was eating with drinking diet or regular coke. So we honestly didn't think they had won the vote!

I hope coke find some grouds to sue the shit out of them. They could have at least gone after something big like cigarettes or ... America :eek: Did it make the 9 o'clock news?

Sparks

Originally posted by sceptre
Another question to add to daveirl's (welcome back btw): Is there still a ban on Nestle products in UCD or was that ever actually implemented or passed?

I think the nestle ban is only in TCD. It's still in effect though.

Syth

The ban mean that SU shops can't sell Coke (or it's subsidaries) or accept sponsorship. You can still buy Coke from vending machines owned by the college, but for 40% more (good ol' SU, making students pay more). Nestle is still banned, but again you can get it form the vending machines.

It was banned over people dying in a bottling plant in colombia, irish coke comes from ireland, so it's the company, that matters. If it's coke, then it technically should be banned.

I've heard people saying that there is an argument for banning Cadburys aswell. All someone'd have to do is inform that SU that cadburys would have to be banned, and they'd have to remove it.

As for suing, someone mention that they might sue but for using the coke logo in the campaign posters, but it'd probably be a bad PR move for coke.

Hehe, spot the student from the small college

Is the campus shop in UCD run by the SU like it is here in NUI,G?

There are 4 SU shops in UCD. It's mad because in Science, where ther's a shop, there is also vending machines 3 metres away that sell coke, but 40% dearer.

p.pete

It would be nice to see Cadbury banned - might get some decent chocolate on the shelves...

Third_Echelon

dont these fools in UCD know that they are affecting irish jobs only and hurting their own economy by this stupid and il-informed ban... its a typical jump on the band-wagon student protest..

UCD is the size of a small town.. this will have a big affect on coke's production in ireland.... not columbia

If they did some research and actually knew that coke sold in ireland is bottled in ireland.. not columbia..

their cause is just and noble, but its totally out of context.. go and protest in columbia.. dont affect irish jobs...

my 2c..

Syth

Anti-coke campaigners said that other colleges might do a ban after UCD did, so watch out. Also affecting coke financially is the aim of the ban, maybe coke'll change...

Jobs'll probably be lost in the SU shops though, and the SU'll lose money. The SU is not ment to police the world.

Sparks

Originally posted by Third_Echelon
dont these fools in UCD know that they are affecting irish jobs only and hurting their own economy by this stupid and il-informed ban... its a typical jump on the band-wagon student protest..

They do know that irish coke is made and bottled here.
But they feel that a life is a life is a life.
*shrug*
Them daft kiddies...

Capt'n Midnight

All they do here is take the imported powder (with it's secrete formula*) and add water, sugar and carbon dioxide in an automated bottling plant. So the number of jobs is quite small - and besides people would have to drink something else so the ancillary jobs in sales / distribution would be the same in any case.

*how do they know it is safe if no one knows what's in it ?
also why did they ditch "coke classic" when they brought out cherry coke - conspiracy theory would say it's because they could not continue to sell the original product for legal or health reasons..

ixoy

I honestly believe it only got through due to student apathy. The students who felt strongly, the political activists, voted no. The majority probably forgot to vote or weren't arsed and so it got through. In reality I imagine the sheer majority of people either want coke or just don't care at all, but it's too late for that.
The reason I believe this, btw, is because I was in the student's union in Trinity and the exact same type of thing happened there. It was such apathy that got the whole re-affiliation with the USI in Trinity even though the turnout vote was appalling (they even resorted to bribing people with sweets just to get them to vote in the elections).

dahamsta

Somebody earlier suggested that this demonstrates that democracy doesn't work, but I don't get that. There was a vote and something happened, what's not working? If people are too lazy or stupid to vote, that's their lookout. Boo hoo.

As to the Coke employee statements, I feel sorry for them, but Coke is a multinational company and so must be dealt with multinationally. It's highly unlikely Coke is going to listen to the locals, so I don't see why people shouldn't help them out if they can.

The jobs might be here but the profits aren't. They pay 12.5% tax in Ireland and the rest is shifted to the U.S. I think that's an important factor.

adam

Sparks

Originally posted by ixoy
I honestly believe it only got through due to student apathy. <snip>
The reason I believe this, btw, is because I was in the student's union in Trinity and the exact same type of thing happened there. It was such apathy that got the whole re-affiliation with the USI in Trinity even though the turnout vote was appalling (they even resorted to bribing people with sweets just to get them to vote in the elections).

Ioxy, from the point of view of someone that's been in TCD as a student and as a postgrad, there's a simple reason why there's such apathy towards the SU - you never got anything done.

Remember eight years ago, when a female student was raped on campus and there was a huge cry for more security guards on duty? And the college looked at getting more CCTV cameras? The SU held this large vote - do you want cameras or guards. The student body overwhelmingly voted for guards (on the basis that a rape prevented is better than a rape recorded on VCR), and there was high turnout because this was something that affected us, directly and nastily.

What happened?

The SU went to college with the results, and the college bought cameras instead of hiring guards.

So why bother wasting time on the SU if you couldn't even get in guards to stop on-campus rapes?

And that was the attitude of every woman and most of the men in my year, both in my class and out of it.

Originally posted by Syth
Anti-coke campaigners said that other colleges might do a ban after UCD did, so watch out.

Yeah I recently saw a poster in DCU for a "Columbian Coke Bust", or something of that nature and I was like "yeaaah man that sounds fuked up" but then it turned out they were trying to ban coca cola. I really couldn't be arsed voting in such a vote, and there's loads of people like me who just don't give a shít - and thats the only reason it will get through. Self-righteous tripe if you ask me

In reality I imagine the sheer majority of people either want coke or just don't care at all, but it's too late for that.

bingo!

Johnmb

Cadbury products will have to be banned also, as Coca-Cola Ireland recently took over distribution of their products in Ireland (which ones exactly, it is hard to tell). See page 21 of this PDF report:
http://www.entemp.ie/mergerann00.pdf
It doesn't say what the certain businesses are, but with such close links, it would be a bit hypocritical to ban one and not the other.

Sparks

In reality I imagine the sheer majority of people either want coke or just don't care at all, but it's too late for that.

Wrong - you have 60 days before the ban is enacted to call for another referendum. Shades of Fianna Fail there, as someone said on the radio this morning...

The Corinthian

Universities are about jobs. The concept that people attend them for an education went out the window a long time ago. As such with an increase of semesterization, competition and vocational courses the rate of political activism (or even awareness) has accordingly decreased. For the majority of students, you go home from college the moment your lectures are over rather than hang around the Student’s Union Offices drinking coffee for six hours.

What remains tends to be a core group of hacks who tend to complain about student apathy but seem oblivious to the fact that the majority of their fellow students are there for a qualification and nothing else. It’s not 1968 anymore. Deal with it.

For a company like Coca Cola or Nestlé (that was also banned in UCD at some stage) this is little more than a PR irritation - UCD may be the size of a small town, but that doesn’t mean that the sale of Coke would reflect that. For the career hacks, this is something that may help them on the road to the coveted (and more importantly paid) sabbatical positions in USI and its constituent student unions. For the ordinary student, it was probably a brief diversion, already forgotten.

Johnmb

It'll have practically no impact financially on Coca-Cola at all. Even if the ban goes ahead, it will only apply to SU Shops. The cafe's, sandwich bars, restaurants, vending machines, and non-SU shops will all still sell Coke and its products, and there is always one or the other of the above within about a 30 second walk of a SU shop, often you'd reach the alternative before you'd reach the shop.

magick

yes but at least its a stand, no matter how small it is.

Johnmb

Originally posted by magick
yes but at least its a stand, no matter how small it is.

A stand for what though? One question I didn't hear or see anybody ask during the run-up to the vote was, "What exactly do you expect Coca-Cola to do?" They're caught up in the middle, what can they do? Pull out? I'm sure the people who rely on Coke to pay them would really thank the Irish for causing them to lose their jobs. What other options do Coke have? Big doors and gates to try and keep out the paramilitaries are already there, what else can be done?

SkepticOne

There were allegations that the management of Coca Cola were in collusion with the right-wing paramilitaries. Coca Cola, naturally, vehemently deny this.

Johnmb

Originally posted by SkepticOne
There were allegations that the management of Coca Cola were in collusion with the right-wing paramilitaries. Coca Cola, naturally, vehemently deny this.

Surely, if people want to start threatening jobs in other countries they should have more than mere allegations. There is a war going on down there, and a google search shows claims of hundreds of members of that union being killed in the last decade. Only a handfull were killed on Coke's premises, and the last one so killed appears to have been a long time ago, plus he was a high ranking member of the union. The right wing paramilitaries have killed a lot more people that have nothing to do with Coke, so why should we believe that when they kill someone who does have something to do with Coke its due to collusion?

ur mentor

old saying 'box to ur weight'
If we really want to stop coke poisoning columbian workers (was that proven?)will stopping the sale of coke in some outlets in Ireland help?
letter campaign to media, coke sharehlders, board members etc more likely to have an impact on people in charge of quality control, operations, production, health and safety.
On a financial level, Coke is in some many places- pension funds, the banks we deal with lend them money and borrow from them. coke concentrate is one of Irelands biggest exports. so it knocks onto balance of payments, exchange rates, taxes, transport fleets and companies etc.

ixoy

Originally posted by Sparks
Ioxy, from the point of view of someone that's been in TCD as a student and as a postgrad, there's a simple reason why there's such apathy towards the SU - you never got anything done.

Remember eight years ago, when a female student was raped on campus and there was a huge cry for more security guards on duty? And the college looked at getting more CCTV cameras? The SU held this large vote - do you want cameras or guards. The student body overwhelmingly voted for guards (on the basis that a rape prevented is better than a rape recorded on VCR), and there was high turnout because this was something that affected us, directly and nastily.

What happened?

The SU went to college with the results, and the college bought cameras instead of hiring guards.

So why bother wasting time on the SU if you couldn't even get in guards to stop on-campus rapes?

And that was the attitude of every woman and most of the men in my year, both in my class and out of it.

I actually don't remember that because I was still in school at that point! And I agree the SU were powerless and I used to find the meetings somewhat pointless. The reason I was in the SU was because I was a class rep and I became a class rep so I could try and look out for my class in terms of stuff that was relevant to them, like project deadlines (and I did this).

You've highlighted a very salient point about the SU! They're perceived as doing nothing, so therefore the apathy sets in and people ignore an issue when it comes, suddenly to find they've no coke/Nestlé/whatever. They might be irked but to reverse the decision involves too much hassle when they've got other stuff to worry about (work and socialising, I imagine, taking a higher priority in most people's lives). They also distance themselves from their "electorate" at times and focused on their own private agendas rather than what the students wanted/desired. I'm sure the students would have been more interested in issues such as greater security/better library/computer facilities rather than gently swatting the Coca Cola behemoth (yes the SU does that too but the big outcry by them, generally, is on issues like these which students find of less relevance. I know, I've been there like many others here).

Syth

One reason coke might sue is becasue of the SU shops being in a sponsorship deal with coke, and to pull out would break the contract, and there's the yes campaign using coke's logo. The only way the SU shop mightn't get sued is if coke see it as a bad PR move.

Yeah there is lots that the SU should be dealing with, like the ridiculus computer network! It' sdown at least once a week.

But if there was going to be another referendum to overturn it, I'd say that there is enough people to spearhead the bring back coke campaign to make the SU take it to the students. There was a really low turn out for this one. only 3,000 (that's ~ 15%).

ixoy

Originally posted by Syth
There was a really low turn out for this one. only 3,000 (that's ~ 15%).

I knew there'd be a low turn out! :rolleyes: *kicks students*