Coca-Cola is to feature Albufeira on its products in an international campaign throughout the summer season.
The Algarve resort is but one of 30 international cities to have their names printed on bottles and cans of the sugar-filled soft drink.
Coca-Cola says the drinks will be sold across Europe in a consumer market of around 400 million where consumers have a chance to win a vacation ‘in a destination of their choice.’
Albufeira’s Left Bloc is horrified at the campaign, stating that it is not up to council to support private companies.
The city’s mayor, Carlos Silva e Sousa, states on the council website his "satisfaction" with the campaign and the inclusion of Albufeira.
The Left Bloc says that not only is is not appropriate for the council to support private companies, it is more concerning that the mayor endorses the campaign.
The Albufeira Bloquistas says the municipal council "is an organisation that serves the community, not private companies.”
"Sharing a very chilled Coke in ... Albufeira" is one of the phrases to be printed on Coca-Cola products this summer.
The campaign will cover the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Spain.
A regular can of Coca-Cola contains 35grammes, or seven teaspoons, of sugar, the recommended daily intake of sugar for an adult in just one can.
Coca-Cola Great Britain has stated that, “Every one of our drinks has a ‘no sugar’ alternative and since 2005 we've reformulated 27 drinks to reduce their sugar content."
The Algarve's image of a health-conscious, outdoor, sports and sun destination is worlds away from the image Coca-Cola portrays to the medical profession and the health-conscious who view Coca-Cola as a manufacturer of a sugar-laden soft drinks and 'no sugar' alternatives filled with the aspartame, a chemical which triggers taste receptors to trick your body into thinking it has just processed sugar.
Why Albufeira council has allied itself to a controversial soft drinks producer is unknown but massive ego and deep naivety are suspected.
