TASTE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Wherever you are in the world，it seems，the billboards and supermarket shelves are saturated with the same brand names．There are few places left on the planet where you can’t buy a Diet Coke，a packet of Kellogg’s cornflakes，or Oxo cubes． But just try tasting them．（101）The packaging and the product may look identical，but the flavour maybe far from familiar．Even the most famous brand names are specially for-mulated to appeal to individual national palates．Heinz，for instance，insists that its tomato ketchup is“the same recipe worldwide”，but admits that“there maybe very subtle variations in the spicing”． Even the ultimate global brand，Coca-Cola，accepts that not all its products are what they appear to be．“We go to great lengths to ensure that Coca-Cola is the same wherever you drink it，”says a spokesman．“But Diet Coke may change slightly from country to country，because we use different sweeteners in different places．” Americans prefer many products，particularly chocolate，to be far more sugary than Europeans do．（102）The French perceive strawberry flavour in a different way from the British，so the artificial flavouring in France will not have a“proper”strawberry taste to Britons．Preferences for saltiness and color differ as well，and most Japanese consumers dislike the taste of milk． The French in general prefer stronger，fuller-tasting coffee than the British．There is a higher cream content in a Magnum in Italy than in Britain，because the Italians expect ice-cream to have a much richer taste．Tea sold in Europe tends to be weaker than the strong tea preferred by Britons．（103）Taste preferences can vary even within countries：at least one well-known soft drink is made according to a sweeter recipe in the southern states of the United States than that on sale in the north． Local water and soil will affect the taste of home-grown natural ingredients．Some key constituents may not be available，meaning that alternatives must be found．Sometimes，especially in developing countries，premium grade components，such as high-grade flour，are replaced with lower-quality equivalents． （104）Extremes in climate will require different additives and preservatives to be used． Chocolate calls for an alternative recipe in hot countries if it is to maintain its texture and taste． And multinationals must conform to national laws and regulations on additives， flavorings，colorings，and artificial low-calorie sweeteners．Mars and Snickers bars taste slightly different in Australia，since laws there state that vegetable fat must not be used in chocolate． Local religious sensibilities must also be observed．（105）Even McDonald’s，which proclaims the homogeneity of its Big Macs（巨无霸）around the globe，has to serve lamb rather than beef burgers in India，because the sacred status of cows means that the majority of its Indian customers can’t eat beef．