New York City is facing a shortage of Diet Coke, with many grocery delivery services, including Amazon Fresh, Fresh Direct, Costco, and Target, being out of stock since early August.
What happened
Residents across the five boroughs have reported being unable to order Diet Coke cans for nearly a month, with some declaring an "emergency" due to the shortage. An Amazon Fresh customer in Brooklyn said they hadn’t seen any Coke products in stock since August 5, while others have reported similar issues with Fresh Direct, Costco, and Target.
The shortage has sparked panic among Diet Coke fans, with some taking to social media to express their frustration. One commenter joked that if Diet Coke were to become unavailable, it would lead to a "revolution." Despite the shortage, global volume for Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Light actually surged 7% in the second quarter of this year, driven by growth in North America and Asia Pacific.
The director of Diet Coke Breaks, Kristen Hollingshaus, said that there has been a huge influx of Diet Coke drinkers in the last two years, and that social media has helped fuel its latest popularity surge. She advised New Yorkers facing the shortage to skip Amazon Fresh and order cases directly from Amazon.com when possible.
The cause of the shortage is unclear, with some speculating that it may be due to a behind-the-scenes business issue involving contracts, invoices, or Amazon's account with Coca-Cola. Others have suggested that the problem may be specific to Amazon rather than a citywide supply shortage.