Editing Mecca-Cola (section)

==Details==
Mecca-Cola was launched in [[France]], in November 2002,<ref name=bbc-20030108>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2640259.stm |title=Mecca Cola challenges US rival |author=Verity Murphy |publisher=BBC |date=8 January 2003 |access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Luxury">{{cite book | title=Luxury Brand Management | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | author=Chevalier, Michel | year=2012 | location=Singapore | isbn=978-1-118-17176-9}}</ref> by Tawfik Mathlouthi as a means of aiding [[Palestinians]] by tapping into demand for alternative products in [[Europe]]an countries. He had been inspired by a popular [[Iran]]ian soft drink, [[Zamzam (soft drink)|Zamzam Cola]] and only decided to launch his own brand when he was unable to agree on terms for a distribution contract with Zamzam,<ref>[http://www.islamonline.net/english/news/2003-02/04/article04.shtml] ''BBC News''</ref> as well as providing an alternative for his sons instead of Coca-Cola.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tagliabue|first=John|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/31/world/they-choke-on-coke-but-savor-mecca-cola.html|title=They Choke On Coke, But Savor Mecca-Cola|date=2002-12-31|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-31|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Mecca-Cola is now sold in some parts of the [[Arab world]] as well as in certain regions of [[Europe]]. It has also been bought and consumed in certain parts of the [[United States]], [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[India]] and [[Canada]]. Although the product was created in France, the company is currently based in [[Dubai]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]].  Part of its corporate philosophy is, according to the [[Muslim]] [[Zakat|charity precept]], to support charities, and in particular to help the [[Palestinian people]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928041147/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/index.php] Mecca-Cola corporate website as of 2007/06/20</ref> It pledges to donate 10% of its profits to fund strictly humanitarian projects (such as schools) in the [[Palestinian territories]], and another 10% to [[charities]] in the countries in which the drink is sold.<ref name="Luxury"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070620152808/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/assosiation.php] Mecca-Cola website as of 2007/06/20</ref> This activist stance is reflected in the company slogan, which appears on all its products: "Shake your Conscience." The company also suggests that people avoid mixing the drink with alcohol. Mecca is the Islamic holy city, giving the name of the cola a religious connotation.

In addition to several different presentations of its cola, the company also sells a range of fruit-flavoured soft drinks under the Mecca-Cola name. The company was the sponsor of &ndash; and Mecca-Cola the official drink of &ndash; the October 2003 Summit of the [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|Organisation of the Islamic Conference]] (OIC), held in [[Malaysia]].

In a BBC documentary produced in 2003, [[Qibla Cola]]'s Zafer Iqbal and Mecca Cola's Mathlouthi are shown promoting their "Message in a Bottle".

In 2012 the [[Federal Supreme Court of the United Arab Emirates]] decided that "Mecca-Cola" could not be registered as a trademark, due to a law disallowing religious connotations in trademarks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/mecca-banned-for-use-as-brand-name-by-top-courts |title='Mecca' banned for use as brand name by top courts |author=Haneen Dajani |publisher=The National |date=14 February 2012 |access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref>

In 2015, Mecca Cola dissolved operations in many countries including India and the UK. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/company/mecca-cola-beverages-private-limited/U15540GJ2005PTC045777|title=Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited Information - Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited Company Profile, Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited News on the Economic Times }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://companycheck.co.uk/company/04798073/MECCA-COLA-LIMITED/companies-house-data|title=MECCA COLA LIMITED. Free business summary taken from official companies house information. Free alerts. Registered as 04798073 }}</ref>