Diet Soda Sales Falling Faster Than Other Types

[Hum]

Coca-Cola Co. (KO) and rivals hoped zero-calorie recipes would lift the $75 billion U.S. soda industry after Americans began scaling back on full-calorie carbonated soft drinks in the late 1990s amid obesity concerns. For a while they helped: Diet soda's share of consumption rose from 26% to 31% between 1990 and 2010, according to Beverage Marketing Corp., even as many consumers complained about the taste.

Now diet soda is the industry's weightiest problem. Store sales of zero- and low-calorie soda plunged 6.8% in dollar terms in the 52 weeks through Nov. 23, while sales of regular sodas dropped 2.2%, according to Wells Fargo, citing Nielsen scanner data. As a category, diet soda has contracted more than regular soda for three straight years.

"We are seeing a fundamental shift in consumer habits and behaviors," PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) Chairman Indra Nooyi said recently.

PepsiCo gets about a quarter of its U.S. revenue from soda. Coke and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPS) both derive more than half their U.S. sales from soda.

Soda isn't the staple it once was. In a March survey by Mintel, 34% of those aged 18 to 36 considered it a "treat,'' a higher proportion than among older drinkers. Meanwhile, about 20% of Americans say they are on a diet, down from more than 25% a decade ago, according to NPD Group.

But the biggest drag is health fears about artificial sweeteners found in diet soda?mainly aspartame, but also sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

The American Beverage Association says such sweeteners are among "the most studied and reviewed ingredients'' over four decades, and are safe weight-loss tools, positions echoed by the American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies around the world also vouch for their safety.

 

The Internet has amplified fears. Among the top 10 Google search results for "diet soda'' on a recent day: "10 Reasons to Give Up Diet Soda,'' "No, seriously: Diet sodas are terrible for you, too'' and "7 side effects of drinking diet soda.''

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[T3X4S]

GOOD ! More Diet Coke for me !!

[Hum]

Lips that touch Diet shall never touch mine :p

[T3X4S]

Lips that touch Diet shall never touch mine :p

awww man, I was totally hoping we would kiss someday... damn !

[Rigby]

Maybe because diet soda tastes nasty and is probably more unhealthy than regular soda. If you're going to diet either quit drinking soda or don't.

 

Personally I quit and don't miss it at all now. :)

[T3X4S]

I dont drink for sake of Diet - I drink Diet Coke for the same reason everyone else drinks Diet Coke - its addicting as hell.  And once you start drinking it, all other soft drinks taste horrible.

[Hum]

^ Weird -- I have never been addicted to soda. :huh:

[T3X4S]

Im telling you - like crack cocaine - Diet Coke is evil.  Just like coffee drinkers, I cant get started in the morning until I grab a Diet Coke... and a couple painkillers.. THEN I can start moving :D

[The Evil Overlord]

^ Weird -- I have never been addicted to soda. :huh:

it does happen dude, I consider myself a cola addict.

[inactive]

i can't believe people can drink Diet soda as it tastes like crap compared to the real thing.

 

regular Coke and Mtn Dew are hands down my favorite soda's in the long term. everything else is a pretty distant 3rd to those two even though once in a while ill drink something else like Dr Pepper or Sprite etc.

[Mr. Gibs]

i can't believe people can drink Diet soda as it tastes like crap compared to the real thing.

regular Coke and Mtn Dew are hands down my favorite soda's in the long term. everything else is a pretty distant 3rd to those two even though once in a while ill drink something else like Dr Pepper or Sprite etc.

Regular soda in the US tastes like crap compared to the real cane sugar versions that are sold in every other country. Just go to Costco (some other stores sell it too but Costco is the biggest I think), and buy the bottles of Coca Cola that are made in Mexico. You'll taste the difference immediately.

The reason I get diet coke when I eat out is because I know I'm already eating unhealthy, I don't need the extra calories from the soda. Hell a Big Mac has 550 calories by itself (no fries, no drink). A cup of regular soda has 300. The Big-Mac will fill me up, but the cup of soda won't hence it's just empty calories.

[techbeck]

Never liked the taste of diet soda.

[ATLien_0]

I would say its partly because consumers are becoming smarter with choices and turning away from the ingredients in diet sodas like aspertame. They need to try a natural soda like whole foods and some of the others that are out there

[redfish]

I would say its partly because consumers are becoming smarter with choices and turning away from the ingredients in diet sodas like aspertame. They need to try a natural soda like whole foods and some of the others that are out there

 

Are they becoming smarter?

 

My guess, as soda consumption goes down, diet soda consumption will naturally fall faster, because the more soda becomes an occasional treat rather than a regular staple, the less "diet" matters. If you drink soda only occasionally, it doesn't matter whether it's diet or not, because you won't get fat from a single drink; and diet tastes worse. 

[MtnDewCodeRedFreak]

See my username. :D

 

Yup, the red Mtn Dew is my top fave ever. Diet sodas ..... ugh. No thanks.

[AJerman]

I would say its partly because consumers are becoming smarter with choices and turning away from the ingredients in diet sodas like aspertame. They need to try a natural soda like whole foods and some of the others that are out there

Sounds more like further misinformed than smarter. As the article says, plenty of testing has been done and shown no negative effects at normal consumption levels. It's the people who drink 10 cans of diet soda a day and then have health problems that get pointed to aspartame that give it a bad name.

 

I don't usually drink diet sodas because I don't usually drink enough soda to care, but from time to time I'll get a diet Dr Pepper or a diet Mtn Dew, those aren't too bad for diet sodas, especially if I'm at a fast food place where they give you a gallon bucket for a drink with no choice but soda (or just plain water, which I do drink a ton of).

[ClassicTrekker]

I have been addicted to Pepsi Max - a diet version of Pepsi - for a few years now. Just like T3X4S, I can't really get my day started without one...or two. :) And to me, Pepsi Max tastes just as good as regular, leaded Pepsi. (Just without all those nasty calories.) :)

[fusi0n]

brb going to get a cup of ice so I can pour me some more diet dr pepper.. 

[teknix360]

Maybe sales fell in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving because it was $6 for a 12-pack here in Chicago. Last week a big sale started in most of the grocery stores with a 4 12-packs for $10 deal. After some creative shopping trips (limit 8 per person? I think not), my basement is now stacked to the ceiling with 12-packs of diet coke.  :D

[Liana]

I think consumers are becoming better educated. After reading about the health effects of caramel coloring, phosphoric acid, and caffeine, I decided to stop drinking coca-cola. If I am really craving it, I will get a Virgil's Real Cola instead, which tastes great and doesn't have any of those ingredients I listed.

 

I also can't believe how expensive soda is becoming. Most fast food places want to charge $1.50 to $2.00 for a fountain drink these days, AFTER filling the cup up with ice first! Or $1.79 for a 20oz bottle at the grocery store? I find it insulting.

[firey]

I never liked diet pop.  Always tasted metallic to me.  I used to drink a 2L Coke every couple days (sometimes in a full day).  I have since stopped drinking standard pop.  I still drink pop but it is 100% Natural (and tastes way better than Coke or Pepsi).  All 0 calories, 100% organic cane sugar, syrups, water, flavoring. They are expensive though which sucks.  A can of the pop is ~1.00 whereas the small bottles are ~1.29.  

 

This: http://www.zevia.com/ is the primary brand I drink.

[inactive]

Regular soda in the US tastes like crap compared to the real cane sugar versions that are sold in every other country. Just go to Costco (some other stores sell it too but Costco is the biggest I think), and buy the bottles of Coca Cola that are made in Mexico. You'll taste the difference immediately.

The reason I get diet coke when I eat out is because I know I'm already eating unhealthy, I don't need the extra calories from the soda. Hell a Big Mac has 550 calories by itself (no fries, no drink). A cup of regular soda has 300. The Big-Mac will fill me up, but the cup of soda won't hence it's just empty calories.

 

We still got the real sugar version of Mtn Dew (and some other soda's) here in the USA. it's just listed on the 'Throwback' version of Mtn Dew and yeah you can definitely notice the difference in taste. before i tried that myself a while ago i always assumed people where exaggerating the difference but anyone who regularly drinks Mtn Dew (and i imagine it will be the same with Coca-Cola to) will definitely notice the difference in taste between the 'high fructose corn syrup' (i.e. the regular common one) vs the actual sugar version(i.e. the Throwback one).

 

but with all of that said... even the regular high fructose corn syrup stuff we typically have here in USA still tastes good (easily better than diet soda) but i do prefer the actual sugar one IF i can find it. but the throwback version of Mtn Dew is more of a luxury thing here as i don't seem to find it in 2-liter bottles much as that's typically what i get in general. i most commonly find it in 20oz bottles and 12packs of 12oz cans.

 

but thanks for the info on Coca-Cola as i still have never had the real sugar version of that.

 

as far as the whole McDonalds thing... i would just eat there a bit less and when i do eat there i just would have the big mac/small fries/small drink.

 

p.s. but as you know... the reason they use the HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is because it's cheaper to make then using real sugar.

[Growled Member]

I'm not surprised. Most everyone I know will either buy an energy drink or water these days.

[Mr. Gibs]

as far as the whole McDonalds thing... i would just eat there a bit less and when i do eat there i just would have the big mac/small fries/small drink.

Oh I don't eat there a lot either, but on the rare day that I do I get the diet coke or water. I already know that I'm eating unhealthy so why make it worse lol.

p.s. but as you know... the reason they use the HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is because it's cheaper to make then using real sugar.

Yup. But only in the US because corn farmers get a lovely amount of subsidies from the Government.

Hence why we have 10% ethanol in our gas here, because you know just how good ethanol is for older cars!