Coca-Cola introduced Tab, one of the first widely marketed diet colas, in 1963.
The Coca-Cola Company developed Tab for consumers who wanted a low-calorie soft drink. It was launched in the United States in 1963 and was sweetened with saccharin. The brand name was styled as “TaB,” giving the product a distinctive visual identity.
Tab arrived before Coca-Cola’s better-known Diet Coke, which debuted in 1982. Although Tab was originally marketed toward calorie-conscious consumers, it was not simply an early version of Diet Coke: the two drinks had different formulas and different brand histories.
Tab remained available in several markets for decades and became associated with retro soft-drink culture. The Coca-Cola Company discontinued Tab in the United States at the end of 2020 as part of a broader effort to reduce its number of brands. Its long run made it one of the most recognizable early diet sodas.