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Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) has announced it will run a pilot project of its signature contour bottle in a convenient 2 litre size, beginning this week in Birmingham and Chattanooga.

These cities were chosen to introduce the new version of the company's most enduring icon because of their longstanding loyalty to Coca-Cola and the strength of their local Coca-Cola bottler, Coca-Cola United.

The new 2 litre form of Coca-Cola's iconic package was preferred over the straight wall bottle overwhelmingly in recent internal consumer tests. According to the survey, consumers found the bottle easier to hold and easier to pour from.

The new size contour plastic bottle will be available in stores throughout the two cities beginning 16 June. All Coca-Cola trademark brands will be available in the new contour package. Importantly for customers, research conducted by CCNA with consumers suggests that the new package has the potential to re-energize sparkling beverage sales in their stores as well.

"Along with Coca-Cola's one-of-a-kind real cola taste, the iconic shape of the contour bottle is what people love most about the brand. They are both a part of its timeless magic," said Hendrik Steckhan, President and General Manager, Sparkling Beverages, Coca-Cola North America. * Recycling initiatives* Birmingham and Chattanooga also will benefit from special recycling initiatives, which CCNA and Coca-Cola United have created to commemorate the introduction of the new package. In Birmingham, the two companies are donating contour bottle-shaped recycle bins to The McWane Science Center as part of a major recycling initiative there. Chattanooga will receive contour bottled shaped recycling bins for Signal Mountain High School and Heritage High School, set to open in the fall.

In addition to the new 2 litre contour bottle, CCNA's other sparkling beverage brands will also have new 2 litre versions of their proprietary packages as part of the pilot in Birmingham and Chattanooga. The familiar shapes of Sprite's signature bottle and the distinctively shaped bottle for CCNA brands like Fanta, Fresca, Pibb Extra and others will all be offered in 2 litre form for the first time. The pilot will be supported with in-store, radio, out-of-home and newspaper advertising.