PepsiCo UK & Ireland has reformulated classic Pepsi to have 57% less sugar, containing 4.55 grams per 100ml.
In addition to a lower amount of sugar, the reformulated soft drink is sweetened with a blend of acesulfame potassium and sucralose, with 56% fewer calories from added sugars.
The reformulated version will replace all canned and bottled classic Pepsi drinks across the UK and Ireland, with rollout to retailers underway. The products have updated nutritional information on the packaging disclosing the reduced sugar content. There is no change to the Diet Pepsi or Pepsi MAX variants.
The company statement said: “While classic Pepsi remains only a very small part of our beverages portfolio in this market, our R&D team has been working to reformulate this product so that it has less sugar but still maintains the great taste people expect.
“These efforts form part of pep+, our transformation plan to drive positive action for people and the planet. As part of this plan, we are making changes to improve the nutritional profile of our snacks and beverages, building on nearly two decades of work prioritising low or no-sugar drinks in the UK and Ireland. Today, over 90% of the colas we sell in the UK and Ireland are sugar-free versions.
“Our reformulated Pepsi is the next step in our efforts to reduce sugars across our entire beverages portfolio, as part of our global pep+ transformation plan. In the UK and Ireland, we have a long track record of helping consumers shift to low and no-sugar drinks options, and we hope that this new product will continue to be a favourite among those who love the classic taste of Pepsi, now with fewer calories.”
NAM Implications:
- Pepsi know the importance of matching taste in any change.
- Therefore this change can be a pointer for others.
- One to watch…
