For millions, Diet Coke isn’t just a drink — it’s a ritual. The first cold can at lunch. The afternoon pick-me-up. The one thing that makes a bad day slightly better. Shelves across supermarkets in metros like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Ahmedabad are running dry, and social media is buzzing with frustrated Diet Coke drinkers comparing the shortage to the LPG crisis.
The scarcity has also impacted quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Swiggy, Instamart, and Zepto. But what’s actually behind the sudden shortage of one of the world’s most popular drinks — and when will it be back?
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What are netizens saying?
“All cylindrical objects are in short supply. Diet Coke in the new LPG (sic),” a user commented.
A second user wrote, “Diet Coke shortage is bothering me more than the LPG shortage.”
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A third user said, “Yeah, that’s true. I have been asking for a Diet Coke in local stores, but they say there’s no supply these days. Does this actually have zero sugar, btw?”
“GPU shortage, RAM shortage. Now, diet Coke shortage. Life is tough for an ML engineer who is constantly balding,” another user wrote.
While many users flagged the unavailability of the drink, a user said that the beverage was available in the Delhi-NCR region.
Intermittent stocks have also been reported on Flipkart Minutes and on Zepto in metros like Bengaluru. “Yup same. Since Sunday not available anywhere. Finally got it in a local store and both 10 cans,” a user wrote on Reddit.
“HSR Layout Update: Even when it was out of stock on blinkit/swiggy/bigbasket/zepto, surprisingly flipkart minutes had it. 🙂 As of today morning its back in stock everywhere,” a second user said.
Why is there a Diet Coke shortage in India?
The Diet Coke shortage is linked to a global and domestic shortage of aluminium cans needed to package the cold beverage, according to media reports. Some reports stated that the shortage can be explained by the new Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) requirements that require packaging updates, temporarily stalling distribution.
Besides this, an increasing preference for zero-sugar drinks in urban areas has also impacted existing stocks.
