Coca-Cola has launched legal action against Vue after the cinema chain ended a near 25-year supply relationship and moved to PepsiCo.
Vue, which runs more than 220 cinemas across eight European countries, selected PepsiCo as its exclusive soft drinks supplier last year in a deal running until at least 2030.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain filed a claim on Thursday seeking to recover alleged unpaid debts dating from the end of the contract. Vue said Coca-Cola also owed it money but confirmed no legal action was taken on that side.
Vue’s founder and chief executive, Tim Richards, criticised the move, saying the dispute involved less than £100,000 and should have been resolved without lawyers. He added that the winding-up petition had since been withdrawn and that no amount is now outstanding.
Coca-Cola declined to comment. PepsiCo’s brands supplied to Vue include Pepsi Max, Mountain Dew and Bubly.
