Coca-Cola began recalling its bottles at various points of sale across the country, due to label violations by consumers interested in stealing World Cup stickers. The action, which causes losses to the multinational, highlights the complexity of large-scale promotions, leading the company to assume the costs of damaged products, which are unfit for sale.
Damaged packaging affects sales in supermarkets
Numerous packages of Coca-Cola soft drinks have been found with damaged labels on supermarket shelves. This manipulation aims to remove the World Cup stickers that are promotionally inserted into the products, making the bottles unviable for commerce. Establishments throughout Brazil report the impossibility of selling these drinks without intact barcodes or with compromised packaging, which requires the immediate recall of the items by the manufacturer.
Coca-Cola’s liability for losses and the inherent risk of the promotion
The beverage multinational has been held financially responsible for the damage caused, bearing the losses resulting from the recall and replacement of products. Legal experts point out that Coca-Cola’s choice of a promotional mechanism with the stickers on the labels constitutes a predictable risk. By creating a strong attraction for manipulation at the point of sale, the company, in partnership with Panini, assumed the chance of incidents such as theft occurring.
Possible legal consequences for those who violate the products
Consumers who are caught tampering with or damaging merchandise can face serious legal consequences. Brazilian legislation provides for punishments for such acts, aiming to protect both traders and manufacturers. Sanctions may vary depending on the nature of the infraction:
- Arrest in the act:In cases where the customer is identified at the time of the violation, imprisonment may be imposed, based on articles 155 (theft) and 163 (destruction, destruction or deterioration of someone else’s property) of the Penal Code.
- Civil liability:Retailers have the right to demand that the customer pay for damaged products, in accordance with article 186 of the Civil Code, which deals with the duty to compensate for illegal acts.
- Unfeasibility of legal action:Although there is legal support, the initiation of criminal proceedings for an individual case may be economically unfeasible for the retailer, who often seeks more practical restraint measures.
Retail challenges and Coca-Cola’s stance on the problem
For retailers, managing this type of incident represents a practical and financial challenge. Although they can contact Coca-Cola to replace products, preventing such theft requires vigilance. Actions such as recording police reports and identifying offenders using security cameras are important not only for filing lawsuits, but also as a deterrent effect to prevent repeat offenses. In turn, Coca-Cola states that the initiative, implemented since the Qatar Cup in 2022, has generated positive results and high consumer support, reinforcing that it does not condone the irregular removal of stickers and is in contact with its resellers to resolve the incidents.
