The legal issue’s not my specialty, but I wonder if it technically isn’t the same manufacturer but a licensee of the brand and basic formula… for example, a coke can in the usa has in small print usually “bottled by the coca cola company of” whatever state. Here in the UAE it’s something like “Dubai Entertainment, Inc.” So the opening mechanism may not be covered in the license agreement but the responsibility of the licensee.

Pull tabs are ancient technology at this point, so it’s still a bit of a mystery as to why they continue to be used in this part of the world, or why the manufacturing equipment is still geared to turn out a 40 year-old design. Thanks for entertaining this question… if I ever find the answer I’ll be sure to follow up here.

I don’t understand how there could be a patent issue involved with the pull tabs since the soda manufacturers are the same. It would be interesting to learn the reason though why pull tabs are not used in the region though.

I’ve been living in Abu Dhabi this last year, and noticed the pull tabs which were banned in the States when I was a boy. What I’d like to unravel is WHY pull tabs still exist at all, why aren’t the stay-tabs in use?

A friend suggested the stay-tabs aren’t used here due to high patent fees. I find that hard to swallow given the wholesale piracy of music and video in this part of the world.

Tamimi (Safeway) carries Dr. Pepper (regular and diet) and I believe kool aid too.

Regards, Carol