Coca Cola’s an American MNC, consisting of the Coca Cola Company-producers and Coca Cola enterprise-beverage bottlers. Fizzy drinks are primarily sold- since the late 1800’s, under the brand ‘Coca Cola’.
Marketing tactics like sponsorships, TV advertising, merchandise distribution etc; have led Coke to its dominance of the soft drinks market, despite controversiallity.
200 countries sell over 400 brands.
Over 407 million people buy ‘Coke’.
1billion beverages are sold daily.
In 2005 profits were £25 million.
30% of Mongolia’s 2.8 million people are (semi)nomadic farmers, earning little income; the GDP per capita’s $2000-Russia and China’s is over $12,000, and 36% of people live below the poverty line. Coca Cola claims its factory will improve living standards. It’ll create jobs- paying above the minimum wage. Education will be affordable. Infrastructure (mostly roads), will be developed between neighboring countries, helping expand into more of the Asian market; also benefiting Mongolia. Mongolia’s President agrees.
Killer Coke says the company will force overtime, deny rights, and harm people.
International rivers association claim the company uses a litre of water per can- Coca Cola tries to take over aquifers, worldwide.
Mongolia’s climate’s (semi)arid, building in it factory poses increased drought risks-this has happened in India where the climate’s similar.
Water scarcity, via depletion and contamination’s led to long term problems like yield failures in countries with a Coca Cola factory. Contaminated water’s impossible to clean; sterile tap water’s not affordable.
‘Cokes’ toxic waste by-products were distributed as fertilizer to farmers’ leached water. Tests showed lead was present. Beverage tests showed pesticides 30 times higher than EU standards present. Mexico, El Salvador, India, and Columbia are victims- L.E.D.Cs housing ‘Coke’ factories; most are still below the poverty line. ‘Coke’s’ ‘purified tap water’ Dasani, was scrapped-illegal levels of Carcinogenic bromates were discovered. Coca Cola say they test drinks…
It seems thirst quenching Coca Cola, does quench people’s thirst- for water and justice. ‘The coke side of life’ appears to be destroying lives, livelihoods, and communities, Mongolia shouldn’t allow Coca Cola to make them another statistic, by agreeing to the construction. Mongolia has other resources which can help to improve living standards. ‘Coke’s’ biased, it seems they only really care about money. Many have filed cases against it’s practices, and are winning.
My decision will mean Coca Cola will probably face a loss; although they already make millions. In the long run it’ll be better, as Mongolia’s climate is extreme, water resources are unreliable, everyone could suffer from water extraction, and increased pollution’s already a problem in Mongolia, more roads, especially long distance roads could be disastrous. They could also suffer from ‘Coke’s’ mistreatments if they allow construction plans, and be in court battles with them, like many others are. Coca Cola should consider these.
