Coca-Cola has launched legal action against Vue after the cinema operator ended their near-25-year partnership and switched its European soft drinks supply to PepsiCo.
Vue, which runs more than 220 cinemas across eight European countries, selected PepsiCo as its exclusive supplier until at least 2030, following a competitive tender process last year.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain filed the case to recover alleged unpaid debts following the contract’s termination. Vue said Coca-Cola also owed it money but confirmed no legal action was pursued on its side.
Vue’s founder and chief executive, Tim Richards, criticised the move, saying the dispute involved less than £100,000 and could have been resolved without lawyers. He later confirmed the winding-up petition had been withdrawn and that no money is now outstanding.
The switch mirrors a similar move by rival Cineworld, which replaced Coca-Cola with PepsiCo as its drinks supplier in 2020.
