From Coca-colonization to copy-Cotting: The Cott corporation and retailer brand soft drinks in the UK and the US

Retail brand acceptance by consumers has been a function of the (spatially and temporally variable) power and trust relationships amongst manufacturers, retailers and consumers. While retailer brands have developed powerfully in some products and countries, in others manufacturer brands have been stronger and more dominant. Certain global brands however (e.g., Coca-Cola) have been preeminent in their markets, seemingly inviolate to any retailer brand challenge. The restructuring and re-organization of The Cott Corporation since 1989, emphasizing retailer brand soft drinks and relationship/partnership building has challenged this inalienable brand position in soft drinks. Cott's extensive (although recent) operations, developing proprietary retailer brand drinks has caused a reassessment of retailer branding status both specifically in the product sector and more generally. This paper reviews the Cott Corporation's operations, placing these within a framework of retail restructuring and retailer-manufacturer brand and power relationships.