As sales of sodas continue to fall across the US, PepsiCo has made a radical change to its Diet Pepsi formula, removing the artificial sweetener aspartame from the product, a move the company says is in response to consumer concerns about the product.
“Diet cola drinkers in the US told us they wanted aspartame-free Diet Pepsi, and we’re delivering,” says Seth Kaufman, SVP Pepsi and flavors portfolio, PepsiCo North America Beverages. He acknowledges that consumer demand is evolving and states the company is confident cola drinkers will enjoy the newly formulated product. Beginning in August, the company says Diet Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi in the US will be sweetened with a blend of sucralose and acesulfame potassium.