- A TikTok posted by her daughter showed former Real Housewife Jill Zarin with a suitcase full of Diet Coke.
- Zarin said she packed a two-week supply for her Europe vacation because it tastes different there.
An American reality TV star baffled viewers after she revealed she'd packed a suitcase full of soda, as she didn't think she'd be able to get the same taste on vacation.
On August 18, influencer Allyson Shapiro, who has 110,000 followers on Instagram and 59,000 on TikTok, posted a video that showed her mom Jill Zarin, who starred in the reality TV series "The Real Housewives of New York City." Zarin could be seen standing in what appeared to be an airport, as she addressed the camera and said she'd taken a supply of Diet Coke from the United States to Europe as she believed they wouldn't have any.
@allyshaps Any other diet coke girlies travel with an entire suitcase of diet coke? Luckily it made it safely! #dietcoke #flying #airport ♬ original sound - Ally Shapiro
"They only have Coke Light and Coke Zero, and it sucks," she said before unzipping her suitcase to reveal two compartments full of bottles and cans of soda.
When asked by Shapiro how much she'd packed, Zarin responded, "Enough for two weeks."
The video was viewed 3.4 million times and received over 5,000 comments, many from viewers who wrote they were from various countries in Europe and could attest that Diet Coke was in fact widely available, so the elaborate packing was unnecessary.
In direct response to a comment that read that England, for example, sold the beverage, Shapiro wrote they were traveling to Italy, Greece, and Croatia where she said, "It's very hard to find Diet Coke," adding they were going on a cruise which didn't have it at all.
In a follow-up video posted the same day which received an additional 423,000 views, Zarin said she appreciated everyone's comments, but had checked with the cruise ship before she left New York, and was "made very aware that they only have Coke Light and Coke Zero," which she said looked similar but didn't taste the same.
@allyshaps Replying to @alefrox ♬ original sound - Ally Shapiro
According to the frequently asked questions section of the Coca-Cola website, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (formerly known as Coke Zero) and Diet Coke are both "sugar free and calorie free" but have a different blend of flavors. Although Diet Coke is available in the UK, in much of continental Europe it's branded as Coca-Cola Light.
It is often noted that Coca-Cola products have a slightly different taste in different countries. This may be due to the fact that the soda is bottled locally, so various factors, including the water, dilution levels, and carbonation may impact the end flavor.
But not everyone seemed interested in the minutiae of soda flavors. One popular comment, which received over 10,000 likes, suggested people were totally missing the point. "Everyone arguing over coke light vs Diet Coke but why is nobody concerned by the unhinged behavior of bringing a suitcase full of DC?!"
"The most American thing I've ever seen. I'm American," another popular comment read.
In a further video which appeared to show Zarin during the vacation, she said they had stopped off at a store during a tour in Greece, that there was no Diet Coke, and she had to buy a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar instead as she was "desperate" because the bottle of Diet Coke she'd brought along was flat.
In the comments, viewers continued to debate the difference in taste between the products, and which they thought was the superior soda.
@allyshaps Replying to @Abigail only real diet coke lovers know the difference! Yes some places have diet coke but it is very hard to find, and regardless its still not the same taste as the US! #dietcoke ♬ original sound - Ally Shapiro
Zarin appeared in the first four seasons of Bravo reality show "Real Housewives Of New York City," between 2008 and 2012, and her daughter Ally also appeared on screen for some episodes.
Zarin has 660,000 followers on Instagram, where she posted a gallery of photos and a video on August 19 which showed her in Sicily, Italy, and a caption that read she was on day one of a cruise. She did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
She's not the only US tourist to spark debate on social media in recent months for sharing takes on traveling to and through Europe. Multiple American TikTokers were labeled ignorant after they suggested Europeans didn't drink water, and a woman who described her visit to the Amalfi Coast in Italy as "manual labor" in July received backlash for her comments.
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