NATIONWIDE – If the coronavirus continues to spread, it could affect the production of Diet Coke, Coca-Cola has said.
- Diet Coke and other zero-sugar drinks could be affected by coronavirus
- Coca-Cola says the virus has disrupted its supply chain
- Ingredients used in the drinks are sourced from China and could be in tight supply
Ingredients used to create zero-calorie sweeteners in several of the company's diet drinks are sourced from China. In its annual report earlier this week, Coca-Cola said the coronavirus outbreak has caused "delays in the production and export" of those ingredients.
"We have initiated contingency supply plans and do not foresee a short-term impact due to these delays," Coca-Cola said in the report. "However we may see tighter supplies of some of these ingredients in the longer term should production or export operations in China deteriorate."
The company did not say which sweeteners are most affected by the delays.
Coca-Cola also said it was implementing precautionary measures with employees at its facilities in China to help prevent the virus from spreading. The company has installed temperatures screenings in offices and manufacturing facilities and is providing faces masks and hand sanitizer.
China is the third-largest market for Coca-Cola worldwide.
As of Thursday, the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has infected about 82,000 people in as many as 50 countries.