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Coca-Cola sales drop on weak Europe demand, strong dollar

Coke's sales in Europe declined 1% to $1.20 billion in the quarter ended April 1
Coke's sales in Europe declined 1% to $1.20 billion in the quarter ended April 1

Coca-Cola's sales fell for the fourth quarter in a row as demand for its fizzy drinks declined in Europe and a strong dollar eroded the value of sales in markets outside the US, including Latin America. 

Coke and rival PepsiCo have been hurt as consumers increasingly turn health-conscious, cutting back on fizzy drinks and turning to teas, fruit juices and smoothies. 

The rise in the dollar has also hit the companies, which have a sizeable presence in markets outside the US, including China, Europe and Brazil. 

The average value of the dollar rose 2.6% in the first quarter from a year earlier. 

The US currency had risen 18% in the first three months of 2015. 

Coke's sales in Europe declined 1% to $1.20 billion in the quarter ended April 1, accounting for nearly 12% of total revenue. 

Its net income fell 4.5% to $1.48 billion, or 34 cents per share. 

Excluding items, Coke earned 45 cents per share, beating the average analyst estimate of 44 cents, according to Thomson Reuters.

The company's net operating revenue fell 4% to $10.28 billion. But excluding the impact of acquisitions, divestitures and currency movements, total revenue rose 2%.