New data has revealed the biggest source of ­customers for Coca-Cola Life have been Pepsi Max drinkers.

Consumers who had drunk Pepsi’s no-sugar variant in the 12 weeks to 8 November last year accounted for 21.9% of volume sales of Life in the same period this year, according to Nielsen Homescan data. The next-largest source were drinkers of regular ‘red’ Coca-Cola (19.4% of volume), followed by Diet Coke (17.8%) and regular Pepsi (12.5%).

Industry insiders suggested the Pepsi stats would be welcomed by CCE, which rolled out Life this summer. The green-branded drink is sweetened with a blend of sugar and stevia, and contains a third less sugar and a third fewer calories than regular Coca-Cola.

“The good news for Coke is that the main source of volume for Coke Life is Pepsi Max,” said Nielsen senior client manager Simon Haig. He added the volume from regular Pepsi was over-indexed compared with the variant’s share of the cola market.

Less welcome will be that Diet Coke and Coco-Cola Zero between them account for 30% - and that Coca-Cola Zero over-indexes. The data also shows only 7% of volume was from consumers who didn’t buy cola last year, while 8% was from shoppers who’d bought Life in addition to another cola.

CCE said it was too early to comment on Life’s performance, but a spokesman stressed: “We know it has been well-received by customers.”

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