​Pepsi reformulates core cola drink, slashing sugar by 57%

Pepsi has reformulated its core cola drink, slashing the sugar content by 57%.

The soft drink now contains 4.6g sugar per 100ml, compared with the old recipe, which contained 10.7g sugar per 100ml.

This means it will dodge the sugar tax implemented on soft drinks containing 5g sugar or more per 100ml.

The reformulated drink is sweetened with a blend of acesulfame potassium and sucralose, with 56% fewer calories from added sugars.

It has already started hitting retailers’ shelves, featuring the updated nutritional information on pack.

The drink offered “the great taste people expect”, said Pepsi. There have been no recipe changes to Diet Pepsi or Pepsi Max.

However, shoppers have already taken to Twitter to complain of the recipe change, with one branding it “utterly disgusting” and another stating he “will be sticking to Coke now”.

Watch out if buying @pepsico_uk regular product. They’ve quietly changed the recipe probably to save on sugar tax. It now tastes like a diet drink but looks identical other than the small side indicators. Price still the same too at @Morrisons so will be sticking to Coke now! pic.twitter.com/HkVhCglgMv

— Mike (@sutty090) March 27, 2023

PEPSI HAS CHANGED ITS RECIPE THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE

— pj (@duckiematz) March 24, 2023

Post-mix Pepsi fountains in out-of-home locations will continue to serve the original product as making changes to the bottled drink was “simpler than rolling out a new formulation across multiple outlets”, said the soft drinks giant.

However, this was something Pepsi was “keeping under review”, it said.

The move forms part of PepsiCo’s “positive transformation plan to improve the nutritional profile of our portfolio”, a spokeswoman told The Grocer.

“Today, over 90% of the colas we sell in the UK and Ireland are sugar-free versions, with classic Pepsi only forming a small part of our beverage sales in the UK and Ireland.”