Purpose: The aim of the study was to make an attempt at evaluating factors that affect the 11 choice and, consequently, purchase and consumption of selected brands of cola-type beverages 12 by students of Lublin universities. 13 Design/methodology/approach: The study was followed by testing sensory recognition of 14 a selected brand of a cola-type beverage. The applied research tool was a survey containing 15 closed-ended and open-ended questions regarding the subject related to the beverage market in 16 Poland. The study was conducted among 100 students of Lublin universities, both male and 17 female, at various age. 18 Findings: The collected results were processed using statistical analysis tools. The drink that 19 was most often selected among the students proved to be Coca-Cola. In the chosen market 20 segment, consumers also show a strong attachment to the brand. At the end of the study, 21 selected cross analyses were performed, which provided an answer to how smoking cigarettes 22 and alcohol consumption affect sensory sensitivity in the study group of students. 23 Originality/value: A novelty in the work is the use of a question in the survey regarding 24 sensory recognition that eliminates the subjectivity of surveys. The respondent may recognize 25 the brand or not.