Brenda Khan
In 2016, PepsiCo announced the reintroduction of aspartame to its Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend. This move came just a year after the company had removed the controversial ingredient, which has been the subject of health concerns, from its formula. The Classic Sweetener Blend, sweetened with aspartame and Ace K, was launched in three SKUs – 12-packs, 2-liter bottles, and 20-oz bottles. PepsiCo's decision to bring back aspartame was driven by declining sales of Diet Pepsi and the desire to offer consumers more choice within its diet cola range. While the aspartame-free version remained available, the company hoped that by reintroducing the original sweetener, they could appeal to a wider range of consumers, including those who preferred the previous formula and those seeking bolder diet colas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Classic Sweetener Blend variety logo | Small "smile" logo with the 2003-2006 wordmark and a light blue label background |
| Classic Sweetener Blend package changes | Dropped the 2003 wordmark and began using the modernized wordmark in mid-2017 |
| Main sweetener in the regular version | Restoration of aspartame |
| Classic Sweetener Blend launch | September 2016 |
| Classic Sweetener Blend availability | Retail outlets throughout the US |
| Classic Sweetener Blend packaging | 12-packs, 2-liter bottles, and 20-oz bottles |
| Classic Sweetener Blend ingredients | Aspartame and Ace-K |
| Classic Sweetener Blend purpose | Introduce more choice to the Diet Pepsi portfolio |
| Aspartame-free version availability | E-commerce |
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What You'll Learn
History of Diet Pepsi's sweeteners
Diet Pepsi, a no-sugar variant of Pepsi, was introduced in 1964. It was first test-marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola. The initial formulation of Diet Pepsi was sweetened with the artificial sweetener saccharin. However, concerns over saccharin emerged in the 1970s, prompting a shift to an alternative sweetener, aspartame, in 1983.
Aspartame has been at the centre of several controversies, with critics expressing concerns over its potential health risks. In 1996, a 60 Minutes report alleged that aspartame might be linked to the development of brain tumours in humans. However, regulatory agencies have deemed aspartame safe for human consumption, and it continues to be used in many food and beverage products.
In recent years, PepsiCo has made several changes to the Diet Pepsi formula, reflecting shifting consumer preferences and demands. In 2015, the company removed aspartame from Diet Pepsi due to health concerns and consumer preferences for aspartame-free options. However, after a backlash from brand loyalists, they reintroduced it in limited quantities in 2016 with the launch of Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend. This blend included aspartame and Ace-K as sweeteners and was available in retail outlets across the United States.
In 2018, PepsiCo again emphasised aspartame in their marketing, bringing back the original Diet Pepsi formula with aspartame while still offering the aspartame-free version through e-commerce. The company's focus on choice and variety in their product line-up reflects the changing landscape of the beverage industry, with consumers demanding more options to meet their diverse needs and taste preferences.
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Aspartame-free Diet Pepsi sales drop
In 2015, PepsiCo removed aspartame from its Diet Pepsi formula, with executives noting that many consumers were avoiding the artificial sweetener for health reasons. However, in 2016, the company reintroduced an aspartame-sweetened version of Diet Pepsi, called "Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend", in response to criticism and a drop in sales. The aspartame-free version remained available, but only through e-commerce.
The decision to bring back aspartame was likely influenced by the company's desire to provide consumers with more choices and to reverse the declining sales trends of diet soda. The reintroduction of aspartame represented a complete shift from just three years prior when the controversial ingredient was removed from the ingredient list.
The original Diet Pepsi formula, containing aspartame, was met with a mixed response. While some consumers may have welcomed the return of the familiar ingredient, others continued to express concerns about the health risks associated with aspartame consumption. Despite these concerns, regulatory agencies in various countries, including the United States, have deemed aspartame safe for human consumption.
The move by PepsiCo to bring back aspartame highlights the challenges faced by the soda industry in recent years. With consumers demanding more beverage varieties and increasingly turning away from sugary and artificially sweetened drinks for health reasons, companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have had to diversify their portfolios. This has led to both companies expanding into new markets, such as water, sports drinks, and iced coffee, and experimenting with flavor innovations to appeal to a wider range of consumers, particularly the coveted millennial demographic.
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Classic Sweetener Blend packaging
The Classic Sweetener Blend packaging of Diet Pepsi is distinguished by its use of the 2003–2006 wordmark, the "'smile' logo", and a light blue label background. The packaging also features the words "Classic Sweetener Blend" prominently displayed, along with the familiar Pepsi colours of red, white, and blue. The Classic Sweetener Blend variety is a reference to the original Diet Pepsi formula, which was sweetened with aspartame.
Aspartame has been a controversial ingredient for Diet Pepsi, with the company removing it from the formula in 2015 due to health concerns and consumer avoidance. However, sales of the aspartame-free version dropped, and in 2016, Pepsi reintroduced aspartame with the launch of the Classic Sweetener Blend. The new packaging for the Classic Sweetener Blend was a return to the original, with the 2003 wordmark and the "smile" logo, which had been used for all Pepsi variants since 2010.
The Classic Sweetener Blend was made available in retail outlets across the US in three SKUs: 12-packs, 2-litre bottles, and 20-oz bottles. The packaging for the Classic Sweetener Blend was designed to offer consumers a choice between full-calorie, mid-calorie, and low-calorie varieties, as well as different sweeteners and tastes. The move was also intended to appeal to older consumers who preferred the previous formula and younger consumers who wanted to avoid aspartame.
In 2017, the packaging for the Classic Sweetener Blend was updated again, dropping the 2003 wordmark and adopting the modernized wordmark. With the restoration of aspartame as the main sweetener, the packaging now featured the title "Classic Diet Pepsi Taste", reminiscent of "Coca-Cola Classic". This packaging update reflected the shift in marketing strategy, focusing on the original, aspartame-included formula.
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Pepsi's competition with Coca-Cola
The competition between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, known as the "Cola Wars", is one of the most well-known rivalries in the business world. The rivalry began in the late 1800s when Coca-Cola was introduced in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1886, and Pepsi was invented in North Carolina in 1898. Coca-Cola was the clear market leader at first, but Pepsi eventually caught up thanks to innovative marketing strategies and lower prices.
Both companies have cultivated unique competitive advantages deeply rooted in the distinctive tastes of their flagship beverages. These advantages are also significantly tied to consumer habits and preferences, which have been shaped over decades of consumption. Coca-Cola and Pepsi have also leveraged their vast distribution networks to gain a competitive edge, cementing their global market dominance.
The "Cola Wars" have seen both companies engage in intense competition for market share, spending millions of dollars on marketing campaigns and launching new products. One notable example is the Pepsi Challenge launched by Pepsi in the 1970s, a marketing campaign that pitted Pepsi against Coca-Cola in blind taste tests. The campaign suggested that consumers preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola based on taste alone, helping Pepsi increase its market share.
In 1985, Coca-Cola controversially changed its formula and released "New Coke", which sparked public outrage and harmed the company's reputation. Coca-Cola eventually returned to its original formula, reintroducing it as "Coca-Cola Classic". This incident is often referred to as the "New Coke fiasco".
In recent years, both companies have had to adapt to changing consumer tastes as more people become health-conscious. For example, Diet Pepsi, introduced in 1964 as a sugar-free variant of Pepsi, has seen its sales plummet as consumers move away from artificial sweeteners like aspartame. In response, Pepsi has made strategic changes to its product lineup, such as bringing back aspartame-sweetened versions of its drinks and emphasising the absence of calories in others.
The Coca-Cola-Pepsi rivalry has lasted for over a century and has resulted in many positive outcomes, such as innovation and lower prices. However, it has also been associated with drawbacks, including accusations of unethical business practices and a lack of focus on sustainability and social responsibility.
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Pepsi's limited editions
PepsiCo has released several limited-edition drinks and flavour variations over the years, often in response to changing consumer preferences and market competition. Here is a list of some of Pepsi's notable limited editions:
Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend
In 2016, PepsiCo reintroduced aspartame to its Diet Pepsi range with the launch of Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend. This move came just a year after the company had removed the controversial ingredient due to health concerns. The Classic Sweetener Blend was distinguished by its use of the 2003-2006 wordmark, the "small smile" logo, and a light blue label. The new variant was launched alongside the aspartame-free version, offering consumers a choice between different sweeteners and tastes.
Pepsi Max Cease Fire
In early 2010, Pepsi released a limited edition called "Pepsi Max Cease Fire," which was Diet Pepsi Lime in the Pepsi Max formula. It was cross-promoted with Doritos Burn flavours.
Pepsi Zero Sugar
Previously known as Diet Pepsi Max (2007-2009) and then Pepsi Max (2009-2016), Pepsi Zero Sugar is a sugar-free, zero-calorie cola. The name change in 2016 was intended to emphasise the absence of calories. In 2022, the recipe was tweaked to reduce caffeine, remove ginseng, and adjust the sweetener system.
Original Diet Pepsi with Aspartame
In 2018, PepsiCo brought back its original Diet Pepsi formula with aspartame, reversing its decision from just three years prior to remove the controversial ingredient. The company acknowledged the demand for choice among consumers, offering both the aspartame-included and aspartame-free versions of Diet Pepsi.
PepsiCo has demonstrated a willingness to adapt its product offerings to meet evolving consumer preferences and market dynamics, often experimenting with different flavours and sweeteners. These limited editions provide options for consumers while also allowing the company to test the market and respond to competition.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Classic Sweetener Diet Pepsi is not a limited-time product. It was launched in 2016 as a response to the decline in sales of the aspartame-free version of Diet Pepsi.
Pepsi launched the Classic Sweetener Blend to introduce more choice to its Diet portfolio. The company had dropped aspartame from its formula in 2015, but brought it back in limited quantities a year later due to backlash from brand loyalists.
The Classic Sweetener Blend is made of aspartame and Ace-K, with cola flavour and ginseng.
