Diet soda business is in freefall

[Hum]

A nearly decade-long decline in U.S. carbonated soft drink sales accelerated last year as more Americans turned their backs on artificially sweetened diet sodas, according to data published Monday.

The drop-off is a mounting problem for industry giants Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., which have long depended on zero-calorie sodas to make up the difference as Americans became increasingly concerned about the health effects of sugared drinks.

Overall soda volumes fell an estimated 3% in 2013, the ninth straight yearly contraction and more than double the 1.2% decline in 2012, according to Beverage Digest.

The trade publication and data service also estimated U.S. retail sales of carbonated soft drinks shrank 1% to $76.3 billion, the first downturn in dollar terms in at least 15 years, indicating that the companies were unable last year to offset volume declines by raising prices.

There is no sign that 2014 will be any better. U.S. store sales of soda were down 1.9% in dollar terms for the 12 weeks ended March 15, according to Citi Research, which cited Nielsen scanner data.

The soda falloff is weighing on overall beverage sales. Beverage Marketing Corp., another industry tracker, estimated Monday that U.S. purchases of non-alcoholic drinks slipped 0.1% to 30.21 billion gallons last year, the first yearly decline since 2009, despite a 4.7% rise in bottled water volumes.

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[macoman]

I am one that I was drinking casually sodas and now I only drink water or juice with their natural sugar. But I rather drink water than juice. I hope coca cola and the other get bankrupt.

[McKay]

 I hope coca cola and the other get bankrupt.

 

Why?

[DeltaXray]

Personally I switched from drinking diet sodas to carbonated water.  Although I still enjoy a diet pepsi from time to time it is all just chemicals.

[macoman]

Why?

because what do you think sodas do? Make people overweight. Check the sugar level in every regular soda... 44gm in every can.

[McKay]

because what do you think sodas do? Make people overweight. Check the sugar level in every regular soda... 44gm in every can.

 

People drinking too much soda make people fat. Not the Soda. It can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.

[Hum]

I'm on a lemonade kick this week.

 

I just bought Minute Maid -- owned by Coca-cola. :s

[XerXis]

because what do you think sodas do? Make people overweight. Check the sugar level in every regular soda... 44gm in every can.

so, control yourself, have some self-discipline. By the way, fresh orange juice contains about 30 grams of sugar per serving. So drink water and enjoy a sugary treat from time to time, wishing companies to go bankrupt is just childish. At the very most, wish for better educated people and honest commercials

[Rippleman]

It looks like "Facebook" fear mongering is working.

[+ir0nw0lf Subscriber²]

because what do you think sodas do? Make people overweight. Check the sugar level in every regular soda... 44gm in every can.

soda = makes people overweight = bad = ban

 

guns = makes people dead = bad = ban ?? :|

[Hum]

because what do you think sodas do? Make people overweight. Check the sugar level in every regular soda... 44gm in every can.

It isn't really the soda -- it's the high fat foods people are often eating with the soda. ;)

[Andre S. Veteran]

Great! Sodas will gradually go the way of cigarette in the public image.

People drinking too much soda make people fat. Not the Soda. It can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.

So empty calories are neutral for health now? Or what's your point?

soda = makes people overweight = bad = ban

Who's talking of a ban? This is people voting with their wallets and public education at work.

[McKay]

So empty calories are neutral for health now? Or what's your point?

 

Yeah because that's what I said. :whistle:

[vcfan]

sugar is good for you

[Andre S. Veteran]

Yeah because that's what I said. :whistle:

Then what did you mean to say?

[McKay]

Then what did you mean to say?

 

He said Soda makes you fat, to which I said no. Drinking too much of it makes you fat. Not once did I say empty calories were neutral. People out there can enjoy a soda and not become obese. I highly doubt the obese people out there got fat by enjoying Soda in moderation. They'll either be drinking wayyyy too much, or no doubt using it to wash down other junk food.  It's like saying a Candy bar or a burger makes you fat. Too much of any food will make you fat if you're putting in more calories than you're burning. Soda is one of those things people need to enjoy in moderation, as part of a hopefully balanced diet.

 

So to reiterate, Soda is not making people fat, people not being able to control their diets/exercise is making themselves fat.

[Andre S. Veteran]

It isn't really the soda -- it's the high fat foods people are often eating with the soda. ;)

Sodas are nothing but empty calories, which is a major cause of weight gain.

[McKay]

Sodas are nothing but empty calories, which is a major cause of weight gain.

 

And people need to stop drinking litres and litres of it a day. Plenty of non-fat people manage to enjoy it on a daily basis and not become obese. Hoping soda companies go bankrupt is a little harsh.

[XerXis]

Sodas are nothing but empty calories, which is a major cause of weight gain.

and again, just don't drink too much of it. There are lots of foods that don't contribute to a healthy diet, should we never eat a desert too? Should we ban chocolate, cream, butter, fruit smoothies, ice, ... There is nothing wrong with indulging yourself in "bad" food from time to time and enjoying it. Do it with moderation and your fine. I really don't understand what is so hard to understand about McKays argument.

[Andre S. Veteran]

He said Soda makes you fat, to which I said no. Drinking too much of it makes you fat. Not once did I say empty calories were neutral. People out there can enjoy a soda and not become obese. I highly doubt the obese people out there got fat by enjoying Soda in moderation. They'll either be drinking wayyyy too much, or no doubt using it to wash down other junk food.  It's like saying a Candy bar or a burger makes you fat. Too much of any food will make you fat if you're putting in more calories than you're burning. Soda is one of those things people need to enjoy in moderation, as part of a hopefully balanced diet.

 

So to reiterate, Soda is not making people fat, people not being able to control their diets/exercise is making themselves fat.

Sure. But when half an alley of a supermarket is filled with 2-liters of these, 1$ each, it's hard to think that you're not supposed to drink much of it at all. The reality and the public image of sodas - in publicity, restaurants, supermarkets, etc - are completely disconnected. It needs to be constantly repeated that they are best avoided in favor of more healthy drinks. 

[Boo Berry]

In my opinion the decline of soda in general and one of the causes of health risks is the use of high fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar. While this isn't exactly an issue with diet sodas, I also feel like artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, only causes more harm than good (I've heard of people suddenly dying because of it!). I only rarely drink soda these days and when I do it's Coke, Pepsi or Mountain Dew imported from Mexico that's made with real cane sugar, instead of HFCS.

[XerXis]

In my opinion the decline of soda in general and one of the causes of health risks is the use of high fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar. While this isn't exactly an issue with diet sodas, I also feel like artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, only causes more harm than good (I've heard of people suddenly dying because of it!). I only rarely drink soda these days and when I do it's Coke, Pepsi or Mountain Dew imported from Mexico that's made with real cane sugar, instead of HFCS.

Source?

 

Education is important, people have to know the adverse consequences of sugar, fried food, bbq food, smoking, drinking, etc... Spreading fud only makes people uneducated.

[McKay]

Sure. But when half an alley of a supermarket is filled with 2-liters of these, 1$ each, it's hard to think that you're not supposed to drink much of it at all. The reality and the public image of sodas - in publicity, restaurants, supermarkets, etc - are completely disconnected.

 

It's people failing to show restraint, a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi lasts me about a week. A quick look at the back of a pepsi label showed me I'm clearly not supposed to drink the entire thing. Again I don't feel your point of view justifies oda companies disappearing from existence entirely.

 

Why should people like me be dragged down by fat people's failings? An entire aisle is lined up with raw meat in supermarkets too but that doesn't say to me "I'm supposed to eat an entire cow per day". A Supermarkets sole purpose is to stock gigantic quantities of popular food/drink items. 

[Boo Berry]

Source?

Which part? One of the many reads about aspartame: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-reasons-aspartame-is-bad-for-you.html and one of the many reads about HFCS: http://drhyman.com/blog/2011/05/13/5-reasons-high-fructose-corn-syrup-will-kill-you/

[macoman]

There is nothing wrong with indulging yourself in "bad" food from time to time and enjoying it. Do it with moderation and your fine. I really don't understand what is so hard to understand about McKays argument.

The less junk the better for your body. I am controlling everything from sugared drinks to cookies, all these are bad for your body and teeth. People need to learn to live healthy life styles without the need of anything sweet or with high levels of sugar or even fat.