Remember TaB Soda? The Forgotten Diet Cola That Inspired a Generation

If you remember TaB, you may have just experienced a little blast from the past.

The pink-and-white can, the distinctive taste, and the familiar name were once a major part of America’s diet-soda culture. For some people, TaB wasn’t simply an old soft drink—it was the soda they grew up drinking.

And yes, your memory is correct: TaB was a real Coca-Cola product.

What Was TaB?

TaB was a zero-calorie diet cola introduced by The Coca-Cola Company in 1963. It was Coca-Cola’s first diet soft drink and became one of the company’s most recognizable products of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. (Wikipédia)

The name was stylized as TaB, and the drink was especially recognizable for its distinctive pink packaging.

At a time when consumers were becoming increasingly interested in lower-calorie beverages, TaB offered an alternative to traditional sugary soda.

TaB Came Before Diet Coke

Here’s the part many people forget:

TaB came first.

Coca-Cola introduced TaB in 1963. It wasn’t until 1982 that the company introduced Diet Coke. (Wikipédia)

Diet Coke eventually became enormously more popular, but TaB continued to have a loyal following for decades.

In fact, Coca-Cola itself described TaB as an important predecessor to its later diet-drink lineup. (Beverage Daily)