Coke Specials in South Africa: How to Find the Best Price and Understand the Sugar Levy
Quick answer: Coca-Cola specials in South Africa appear in supermarket leaflets, wholesalers and liquor-store mixer promotions, usually as multipack or multi-buy deals. The best way to judge them is to calculate the price per litre, because pack sizes differ. Since 1 April 2018, sugary drinks have also carried the Health Promotion Levy, which affects shelf prices. We do not quote current prices because they change weekly.
' 'Last updated: October 2026. Facts come from SARS, a peer-reviewed study of the levy's price effects (Stacey et al., 2019), Daily Maverick and Sunday Times reporting on Coca-Cola's history in Africa, and spar.co.za. Prices are not stated as current.
' 'A short history of Coca-Cola in South Africa
'Coca-Cola's own account says it first secured local bottlers for its concentrate in South Africa in 1928. Researcher Sara Byala argues it may have been sold in Cape Town as early as 1909 in a short-lived soda fountain venture. The South African Bottling Company (Sabco) was launched in 1940, and by 1995 it had extended its operations to plants in Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Namibia. During the 1980s the company sold its holdings in South Africa to a separate business that continued to sell Coke and moved its concentrate plant to neighbouring Eswatini. The corporate details of today's South African bottler were not covered in the sources we checked, so we do not state them.
' '| Period | Reported event |
|---|---|
| 1909 | Possible sales in Cape Town via a soda fountain (a researcher's argument) |
| 1928 | Coca-Cola secures local bottlers for its concentrate, per the company |
| 1940 | South African Bottling Company (Sabco) launched |
| 1980s | Holdings sold; concentrate plant moved to Eswatini |
| 1 April 2018 | Health Promotion Levy on sugary drinks takes effect |
The Health Promotion Levy in plain language
'The levy applies to sugar above a threshold of 4 g per 100 ml, at R0.021 per gram. One hundred percent juice and dairy beverages are exempt. If sugar is not labelled, the product is taxed at a default rate based on 20 g of sugar per 100 ml. A 2019 study found significant price increases for carbonated drinks, the largest taxed category, and for brands that reduced their sugar content. In practical terms, regular cola is more expensive than it would be without the levy, and zero-sugar versions are not taxed in the same way.
' 'A worked example of the levy
'The figures below apply the published rate to an illustrative cola with 10.6 g of sugar per 100 ml, which is a common level for regular colas. The taxable sugar is 10.6 minus 4, or 6.6 g per 100 ml. At R0.021 per gram that is about R0.139 per 100 ml, or roughly R1.39 per litre. The actual sugar content of any product is on its label, so use that number.
'| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar per 100 ml (example) | Label figure | 10.6 g |
| Taxable sugar per 100 ml | 10.6 minus 4 | 6.6 g |
| Levy per 100 ml | 6.6 x R0.021 | About R0.139 |
| Levy per litre | R0.139 x 10 | About R1.39 |
Where Coke specials show up
'| Place | What you usually see | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarket leaflets | Multipacks and multi-buys | Check the unit price, not the headline |
| Wholesalers and cash-and-carry | Cases at lower per-can prices | Good for events, check storage |
| Liquor stores | Mixers sold with spirits | Compare with supermarket mixers |
| Fast food combos | Drinks bundled into meals | Check whether the drink is worth the upgrade |
For instance, SPAR's specials page featured long life milk and coffee in a recent cycle, which shows that leaflets rotate categories, so a Coke deal may appear one cycle and be absent the next.
' 'Calculating price per litre
'Pack sizes make comparison tricky. Divide the price by the total litres. An example with invented prices: a 2 litre bottle at R28 is R14 per litre; a 6-pack of 330 ml cans (1.98 litres) at R48 is about R24.24 per litre; a 24-can case (7.92 litres) at R150 is about R18.94 per litre. Cans cost more per litre than large bottles, so unless you need chilled individual servings, large bottles usually win.
| Pack | Total litres | Example price | Price per litre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L bottle | 2.00 | R28 | R14.00 |
| 6 x 330 ml cans | 1.98 | R48 | R24.24 |
| 24 x 330 ml cans | 7.92 | R150 | R18.94 |
Coke versus alternatives
'| Option | Pro | Con |
|---|---|---|
| Branded cola | Familiar taste, widely promoted | Levy and brand premium |
| Supermarket house-brand cola | Usually cheaper per litre | Taste differences |
| Zero-sugar versions | No sugar, outside the levy's sugar threshold | Artificial sweeteners |
| Water and home-made drinks | Cheapest and healthiest | Less convenient |
Health note
'Sugary drinks add calories and are linked to weight gain and dental problems. Health authorities recommend limiting added sugar, so treat cola as an occasional drink and keep water as the default, especially for children.
' 'Hosting tips
'- '
- Estimate roughly one to two drinks per guest per hour and adjust for weather. '
- Buy large bottles for mixers and cans for coolers. '
- Keep ice and a cooler box ready for load shedding days. '
- Return deposit bottles where applicable to recover the deposit. '
Pros and cons of buying Coke on special
'Pros
'- '
- Stock up for events at a lower price per litre. '
- Easy to compare unit prices across stores. '
Cons
'- '
- Encourages drinking more than you planned. '
- Multipacks take space. '
Frequently asked questions
'When did the sugar levy start?
'1 April 2018.
'How much is the levy?
'R0.021 per gram of sugar above 4 g per 100 ml.
'Are juices taxed?
'One hundred percent juice and dairy beverages are exempt.
'Is a case cheaper than singles?
'Usually per can, but check price per litre against large bottles.
' 'Sources
'- '
- SARS: Health Promotion Levy (DA 179) pages '
- Stacey et al. (2019): sugar-based beverage taxes and beverage prices in South Africa '
- Daily Maverick and Sunday Times: Coca-Cola in Africa, a long history (January 2024) '
- spar.co.za specials page '
