Coca-Cola – coke zero 20 oz bottle ( 93 comments)

I bought a 6 pack of my dew spark and each bottle had this same mildew smell.

I opened one of the 6-pack bottles of Coke Zero this morning, and I thought it tasted weird. It was a cold one. I decide not to drink it. I then immediately opened one that was still warm, and I had an overwhelming smell and taste of mildew. They came from the same pack. I did a Google Search and found this thread.

I called Coca-Cola after posting this. They told me that if the bottles are exposed to extreme temperatures, especially direct sunlight, they can develop mildew tastes. They said this sometimes happens during distribution prior to sale. They took my bottle number and said they would trace it from the bottling agency through the local distributor. They then sent me a coupon to get another six pack for free.

Tonight I opened a glass bottled coke and the same thing except I rubbed the inside of the cap and was left with this...

I’ve been noticing this with Diet Coke bottles in New Orleans for the past couple years. I thought it was a New Orleans heat and humidity thing but I just got a Diet Coke in Palo Alto, CA and it had the same stinky mildewy cap smell. It’s terrible

I also drink Coke Zero and have been noticing the mildew smell in the cap and top of bottle. It doesn’t make consuming the drink very enjoyable and it’s not like I always have a cup handy to pour it in. I’ve never noticed this stench until the last few months. Now it’s on every 20oz bottle I get.

I just bought four eight packs of the 12 oz diet cokes in under each cap it smells like mildew. I'm very disappointed in Coca-Cola and planned a contact them and also try to get reimbursed from the store. The bottle itself did not smell on the outside but as soon as you opened it you got the smell of like mildew under the top and around rim of bottle. I wouldn't drink it! Not worth getting sick over imo. Just purchased these 4 days ago.

I'm in Atlanta, GA. I've started noticing this as well. I switched from regular coke back in February. And thought maybe that's just how it tastes, but the last few, even 2 liters, smell awful!

Bought a bottle at quiktrip. Drank 1/2 and put it in the fridge. Next day stank bad. reddit has a two year old thread on this topic. COKE, are you listening?

Bought a Coke Zero tonight, as I do almost every night on my way home from work. I took a sip and caught a strong whiff of body odor but did not connect the two. I work for a uniform company and I’m always surrounded by dirty B.O. smells. A few mins later I took another sip and was hit again with the smell. I took a whiff of the bottle mouth and shire as heck it was the bottle. Cap was a bit smelly too, but mostly the mouth. I stopped drinking it and had my S.O. smell it when I got home. He confirmed the smell without me telling him what I smelled (he thought I had poured alcohol in it when I prompted him to smell it)

This makes me slightly sad because I look forward to my after work treat, however I think this might help me kick the habit. Can’t fathom risking this happening again. :(

Just bought a 12 pack of coke zero. Everycan smelled so bad and the soda did too. Poured in a glasa to see if it was just the can but nope the soda smelled just as bad. Cannot even drink any of them. Such a waste of money. This isnt the first time I have gotten a coke that smells like this. I am done wasting my money on coke. We did check the dates on the cans and they were exspired. Would be wonderful to get a refund but im sure that wont happen. Do better coke.

Came here bc this just happened to me with my Diet Coke 20 oz and I thought I was going mad. Smells like mildew and I had to hold my nose to take another sip to wash down my stupid granola bar whose oats were stuck in my throat. That's all!

Just happened to me, but it was the actual sofa that smelled musty

I came here because my husband bought himself a Pepsi zero and me a Diet Pepsi. I went to take a drink of it and it smelled to bad at the mouth of it. I smelled the cap. Same thing. Hubby’s zero was fine. Googled smelly soda bottle to find that this has happened with Pepsi Zero, but couldn’t find anything abt Diet Pepsi. Reading through these comments it looks though it’s common with any soda. How gross. Most have said its from temp changes and Sun exposure. Gross.

I have bought single bottles and six packs of Diet Coke and the last few months, probably 2/3 had the smelly bottle opening and caps. Soda products taste ok but hard to get past the smell when taking a drink. it smells like old wax and BO. I think it's something in Coke packaging and bottling. It's frustrating to spend so much for a product, be looking forward to drinking it, and then have it smell and repulse you so much. I even tried wiping the bottle mouth and top of bottle with rubbing alcohol thinking it was some kind of dirt or production oil residue. That did not help.

I just bought a 20oz Coke Zero from Walmart Suisun City, CA on 11/16/2022. Horrible smell. Dumped soda out. My husband said it had a horrible body smell.

I am experienced the same problem, with just about each coke zero product. I am not sure what or why it s smells like this but it can not be healthy. I am going to be forced to stop drinking soda period as the cost has went up and the value of the product has went down. Pepsi is the same way, it is like they are producing so many and they are not sanitizing properly or something.

WOW! I'm glad I found this thread! I thought I was going crazy..what I do is to wipe off the inside of the cap and the top of the bottle around the threads with warm water and the smell disappears and it tastes ok...next time it happens will report to Coca-Cola and will let them know. thanks!

20oz Coca Cola's are tasting pretty bad. I bought 2 cases of 20oz from Sam's and they are all bad. Tried the local stores and they have the same problem. I have been going to purchase fountain drinks of Coca Cola to get a soft drink that is not horrible. This is taking place in Louisiana

I'm in Oceanside California. Same smelly problem with 20oz diet coke bottle. Emailed Coca-Cola customer service. They just sent me coupons without an explination.

I don't buy 20 oz drinks often but every single time, I buy a Mountain dew product 20 ounce bottle the, lids and the top of the bottle smell like mildew.

I actually Googled it to see if anyone else noticed it. That's how I ended up here. It's awful!

I don't believe I'll spend that much money on a snall drink from this company, until the issue has been resolved. It is a huge turn off and I don't even finish the drink. Hope they care enough to address the issue.