Why Fanta tastes different abroad as Brits get ‘holiday blues’ from drink
Cracking open a Fanta on Blackpool beach is never going to taste the same as it would if you were on the white sands in Bora Bora, but boy would we like it to.
You can chase the holiday high all you like, yet you are never going to be able to recreate that same drinking experience which is strictly reserved for thirsty tourists who are anywhere but the UK.
And Brits have recently been painfully reminded of the disparity between the drink in this country in comparison to others after a lad went viral while sharing snaps showing the difference of Fanta Orange in Mexico and the one available here.
Saying the images gave him the 'worst possible holiday blues', he explained it had been a 'proper fall from grace' for him when he made a trip to the shop to purchase the tipple he had been necking on his travels.
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To be fair to the guy, the Fanta he had been knocking back in Mexico drastically outshined it's British counterpart, which looked like it's weak and heavily diluted sister.
And social media users seemed to be in agreement and didn't mince their words as they bluntly said: "Ours is sh*t."
One wrote: "That proper orange Fanta hits different, it’s unbelievable."
Another wrote: "Fanta abroad is insane, makes UK Fanta look anaemic."
While a third added: "The orange Fanta tastes WAY better than our UK version! I brought 4 x 2 litre bottles of it back with me from New Zealand, its way more refreshing. I wish we got it here."
Why does Fanta taste so different abroad?
It seems that the difference in the popular beverage is detected by Brits from the moment they step off the plane - and the fact Fanta in a faraway land is a lot more vibrant in appearance plays a big part in this.
But apart from it's colouring, why does the fizzy drink taste so damn different when your sunning it up in another country?
Is it the sound of crashing waves, the fact your enjoying a good book while sipping it, or simply the immaculate holiday vibes which make it so tasty?
Well, although they probably play a part in it, it's actually down to the differences between the ingredients and sugar content which Fanta has in the UK compared to other countries.
The recipes for the beverages here had to be changed when the 'sugar tax' was implemented, meaning that it has had a sugar content of 4.6g per 100ml since 2017, while it used to be more than 5g.
However, according to Coca Cola's website, Fanta Orange now contains 4.5g per 100ml.
Coca Cola had opted to cut the sugar content of all its drinks sold in the UK, with the exception of Coca Cola Classic, which now has 10.6g of sugar per 100ml.
While in other European countries, the sugar levels have been reduced but to various different levels, which explains why it seems to taste so different everywhere you go.
Is it style over substance?
In Spain and Portugal, the sugar content is at a similar level to the UK, whereas Fanta sold in Italy is three times higher than the UK with a sugar content of 11.8g per 100ml.
The figure is similarly high in Greece with 8g and in Germany with 7.6g.
In the US, pure sugar is completely bypassed in favour of high-fructose corn syrup, while Fanta doesn't contain a drop of real fruit juice.
On top of the contrasting sugar contents, each country has it's own take on the perfect Fanta recipe.
For example, Fanta Orange has more orange juice in the Italian recipe - 12 percent compared to 3.7 percent in the UK version.
Coca Cola said in a previous statement: "We produce Fanta Orange across Europe and the juice content may vary in different countries.
"Throughout Europe, Fanta Orange is sweetened with either sugar or a combination of sugar and sweeteners. We are constantly working to reduce the sugar content in our drinks.
"For this reason, you may notice that the content of sugar or sweeteners in the drink varies from country to country. In Germany, for example, we launched Fanta Orange with reduced sugar content without any sweeteners."
The company also suggested that the reason why Fanta and Coke taste better abroad is due to psychological factors.
They said: "The basic ingredients and process used to make Coca‑Cola are the same in all countries, although people perceive taste in very different ways.
"It is possible for the same soft drink to vary slightly in taste due to other factors such as the temperature at which it is consumed, the foods with which it is consumed, or the conditions in which it is stored prior to consumption."
A Coca Cola Great Britain spokesperson also told LADbible: "We're dedicated to delivering drinks that fans love in every country in which we sell them.
"We adapt our recipes to source ingredients from local supply-chains, follow local regulations, continue our sugar reduction efforts and meet local consumer preferences.”
Topics: Travel, Holiday, Food And Drink, Viral
Olivia Burke