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Two different bottles, separated by decades
The headline can blur two separate packaging stories. Coca-Cola’s original contour bottle was glass; the company dates the start of its PET plastic packaging to 1978. The curvy two-liter plastic package at the center of the sales question arrived later, in 2008.
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| Package | Material and era | Purpose or positioning documented by Coca-Cola |
|---|---|---|
| Original contour bottle | Glass; designed in 1915 and adapted for broader production in 1916 | Distinguish Coca-Cola from imitations. Coca-Cola’s bottle history credits Root Glass Company designer Alexander Samuelson. |
| First PET packaging | Plastic; two-liter bottle introduced in 1978 | The company’s history identifies this as the beginning of its use of PET packaging. Coca-Cola’s company history booklet does not identify this as the 2008 contour-shaped package. |
| Contour-shaped two-liter package | Plastic; announced in 2008 for selected U.S. markets | Use the familiar contour shape in a large take-home bottle; Coca-Cola cited consumer preference, handling and pouring, and possible sales momentum. 2008 company announcement. |
The U.S. National Archives also covered the bottle patent in its 2015 announcement about a display of the Coca-Cola bottle patent.
What Coca-Cola said the 2008 design would do
When announcing the contour-shaped two-liter bottle, Coca-Cola said its consumer research favored the curvy shape over a straight-wall two-liter bottle. The company also cited easier holding and pouring. Those are company-reported findings, not independent usability results.
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The commercial ambition was explicit: Coca-Cola said its research suggested the package had the potential to re-energize sparkling beverage sales in stores. That is evidence of a sales goal, not evidence that sales rose because of the bottle. In the same company release, Hendrik Steckhan, then president and general manager of Sparkling Beverages at Coca-Cola North America, said: “Along with Coca-Cola’s one-of-a-kind real cola taste, the iconic shape of the contour bottle is what people love most about the brand.”
Packaging can support sales—but the figures do not isolate one bottle
Coca-Cola’s 1993 annual report stated: “Packaging and pricing efforts play a significant role in expanding soft drink sales.” The report described a broader business strategy, not a controlled test of one package.
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- In Mexico, Coca-Cola reported an 8% increase in unit-case volume in 1993 amid industry deregulation and the introduction of packaging options.
- The company said nearly 10% of its Mexico unit-case volume that year came from new packages.
- The report also said Fanta sales in Mexico rose 55% in 1993 with new packaging. That figure concerns Fanta and wider package expansion, not a result attributable to Coke’s later two-liter plastic bottle.
These are company-reported figures from Coca-Cola’s 1993 annual report. Packaging and pricing were discussed together, so the figures do not establish what any single design contributed.
Why bottle size and shape matter commercially
Packaging can make a product easier to recognize, carry, pour, store, or buy in a quantity that suits a household. Coca-Cola’s own 2011 announcement framed package size around use occasions: a 1.25-liter take-home format for smaller households and a two-liter package for larger families and gatherings. That positioning shows how the company matched package options to different buying needs; it does not prove that a particular shape increased consumption.
The contour design also carried brand recognition from glass into plastic. In 1915, the stated challenge was to make Coca-Cola distinguishable from imitations. In 2008, the company applied the established silhouette to a large plastic package and tied it to consumer preference and potential sales appeal. The commercial logic is clear, even though a causal sales effect is not established by the cited announcements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence supports—and what it does not
- Supported: Coca-Cola designed the original contour bottle in glass to distinguish its product, later introduced PET packaging, and in 2008 promoted a contour-shaped two-liter plastic package partly for its handling and sales potential.
- Not established: That the 2008 package caused a measured increase in Coca-Cola sales, or that the 1993 Mexico figures were the result of one bottle design.
So the most accurate answer is that Coca-Cola used package design as part of its sales strategy, and said the later curvy plastic bottle might help sales. The available company statements document intent and broader packaging outcomes, not proof that the bottle alone sold more soda.
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