Purchase-based PepsiCo has introduced a new brand of aspartame-free Diet Pepsi that is now available at retailers.
Diet Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi colas will now be sweetened with a blend of sucralose instead of aspartame, according to the company. The move came in response to increased consumer demand for an alternative to the sweetener aspartame, which historically has been linked to causing cancer, though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never made recommendations against its consumption. Sucralose is a non-caloric sweetener.
“Diet cola drinkers in the U.S. told us they wanted aspartame-free Diet Pepsi and we’re delivering,” said Seth Kaufman, senior vice president Pepsi and Flavors Portfolio, PepsiCo North America Beverages. “We recognize consumer demand is evolving and we’re confident cola-lovers will enjoy the crisp, light taste of this new product.”
Sales of Diet Pepsi were down 5.2 percent in 2014, which was parallel with rival cola Diet Coke of Coca-Cola, which saw a 6.6 percent decrease in sales last year. The company on Monday kicked off a marketing campaign of sampling, advertising, coupons, retail promotions and social media efforts for the new Diet Pepsi. PepsiCo first announced in April it was introducing the new beverage.
PepsiCo, which also operates Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Quaker and Tropicana, generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2014.
