Coca Cola's Ethical Dilema in Belgium

Introduction: Business ethics is the core of a company, it is essential for smooth and successful operation of a company. If they encounter some unethical situation or dilemma, it may have a positive impact through ethical behavior or bad influence. Morality is defined as "research and philosophy of human behavior, focusing on determination of right and wrong" (Ferrell et. Al, 2010). In this case study, we analyze the ethical dilemma when Coca-Cola participates in Belgium and the company's response to these problems.

Since the late 1990's, Coca-Cola has been involved in at least eight major ethical dilemmas. In June 1999, the products of Coca Cola were contaminated. Consumers in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are sick after using Coca Cola products. Coca-Cola erroneously managed this problem and expressed dissatisfaction with it. Then in France more than 100 people became sick and in a few months in Poland the water was contaminated with mold. In all activities, Coca-Cola did not respond in time or pay attention to public health but eventually confirmed that this was their pollution problem. The second problem is Coca-Cola's unethical marketing behavior in Europe. As Coca-Cola approached the Antimonopoly Act, the French government refused to acquire further companies, and Italian companies filed lawsuits at anti-competitive prices.

Coca-Cola Company (CCE) is the world's largest Coca-Cola bottler and distributor. They are independent entities of the mother ship of all of the Atlanta Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola Company). CCE provides services to Belgium, France, UK, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, accounting for about 8% of Coca-Cola's sugar confectionary drink sales worldwide. With this, CCE became the third largest distributor of Coca-Cola products in the world. As of February 24, 2010, CCE handled and distributed all Coca-Cola bottles and cans. But by 2010, the Coca-Cola Company (the mother ship above) paid over $ 15 billion to CCE to collect Coca-Cola products for North Americans. CCE's business is entirely based on Western Europe, and Atlanta's mother ship began to circulate around North America.