Group Boycotts Sprite, Urges Coke to Settle Bias Suit

A group that plans to boycott Coca-Cola Co. products said Wednesday that the effort will begin in earnest this week in 10 large U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, with an initial focus on getting blacks to stop drinking Sprite.

The boycott--led by the Committee for Corporate Justice, a group of former and current Coke employees--also aims to persuade businesses to switch their Coke vending machines to those from rival Pepsi-Cola Co.

So far, 15 businesses and churches in metro Atlanta have agreed to remove Coke machines, said Larry Jones, the committee’s leader and a former Coke human resources manager.

A group of eight former and current Coke workers who are black sued the company last year, alleging that they were denied raises, promotions and fair performance reviews because of their race. They are seeking class-action status on behalf of about 2,000 employees.

Coke denies the allegations and has been working to settle the suit.

Jones said Wednesday that the Atlanta-based beverage giant should pay at least $200 million to settle the case.

The committee will target its boycott at the 10 markets where the group says Coke sells the most to blacks. They are Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Washington.

Sprite will be the first product targeted because blacks make up 36% of its consumer base, he said.

Coke spokesman Ben Deutsch said the company is “disappointed” by the boycott.

“We take all comments and concerns voiced by our current and former employees seriously, but we do not think this action is justified,” Deutsch said.

Coke shares rose $2.31 to close at $52.81 on the New York Stock Exchange.