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22nd Oct 2023

Why Fanta lemon tastes so much better when you’re not in the UK

JOE

It just hits different!

Sometimes things just taste better when you’re on holiday.

Maybe, it is the weather – it generally puts everyone in a better mode.

Then again, maybe some things are just better when you have them outside the UK because when you’re in Britain your job, flat or mounting debt tends to cloud your enjoyment.

Apparently, LadBible reports, British tourists often remark, “Fanta tastes so much better abroad.”

Maybe you’re a Fanta-lover and think the same, or have overheard some lobster at the pool declaring this to a mate, or maybe, it is an undeniable truth.

LadBible says, as far as Fanta goes, it comes down to sugar.

In the UK the recipe was changed due to the “sugar tax”, meaning its content was cut by a third.

Since 2017, Fanta sold here has had a sugar content of 4.6g per 100ml.

Previously, it was more than 5g.

Coca-Cola decided to cut the sugar content of all its drinks sold in the UK, with the exception of Coca-Cola Classic. It still has twice that amount at 11g per 100ml.

In other European countries, sugar levels have dropped, but to different degrees, meaning a Fanta tastes different across Europe.

In Spain and Portugal, the sugar content is similar to the UK beverage.

In Italy, however, it is three times higher at 11.8g per 100ml. In Greece it is slightly less, at 8g, and slightly less again in Germany, with 7.6g.

LadBible boffins pointed out that the differences don’t stop there. Fanta Orange, it reported, has more OJ in the Italian recipe 12 per cent compared to 3.7 per cent in the UK version.

Coca-Cola said in a 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 added that psychological factors could also be behind the reason the beverages taste better abroad.

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.”

Related links:

Panic over, Fanta Lemon officially lives on in the UK

Fanta Lemon has been discountinued

Heinz says you’ve been making baked beans on toast wrong your entire life