Coca-Cola No Sugar gets flavour change as popularity grows

One variety of Coca-Cola has had a recipe overhaul, and it means consumers will find a major difference in taste.

Coca-Cola No Sugar has had a flavour shake-up, as the product increasingly becomes the first choice among the brand’s consumers.

The soft drink giant has overhauled the formulation of its No Sugar variety and claims the new taste is the closest yet to its full-sugar Coca-Cola Classic.

Consumers across the globe will be able to purchase the revamped fizzy drink amid growing appetite for no-sugar options, with the Australian rollout now underway.

The brand’s No Sugar product includes the artificial sweeteners aspartame and acesulfame potassium. Coca-Cola Australia marketing director, Kate Miller, said the ingredients remained the same, but the “blend” had changed.

Consumers will find Coca-Cola No Sugar has a new taste. Picture: Supplied

Ms Miller said research undertaken in the local market ahead of the product’s launch was “particularly encouraging” because it showed that “Coca Cola Classic drinkers preferred the new recipe compared to the previous Coca-Cola No Sugar recipe.”

The change is part of the company’s strategy to reduce sugar throughout its product portfolio by 20 per cent by 2025.

Ms Miller said sales growth of Coca-Cola No Sugar was now outpacing that of the brand’s Classic variety.

“We hope to accelerate that even further with the improved-tasting product,” she said.

“Twenty-one per cent of the Australian population consumers Coca-Cola No Sugar in the past four weeks. So there’s a big opportunity there for us to grow that further.”

She said the new recipe also meant the product “maintained a better taste in hotter climates.”

Consumers may still be able to find the old No Sugar product on supermarket shelves, but it’s expected that it will be completely replaced by the new formulation over the next two weeks.

They will find the new product in fresh packaging, with Coca-Cola Classic and Diet Coca-Cola also getting a refreshed look.

Coca-Cola has also updated the packaging on its beverages. Picture: Supplied

A spokesperson from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the authorised manufacturer and distributor of the brand’s beverages in Australia, said Covid-19 had changed consumers’ purchase habits.

“Shoppers [were] buying larger take-home multipacks and fewer single-serve front of store cold drinks,” the spokesperson said.

“This is indicative of increased ‘at home’ consumption reflecting outlet closures and government imposed Covid restrictions on consumer movement since last year.”

Accredited practising dietitian Melanie McGrice said consumers should limit themselves to a maximum of two small glasses of cola beverages a week.

“Just because you take the sugar out of a product, it doesn’t make it good for you,” Ms McGrice said.

“There’s no nutrition in soft drinks and even without sugar, they are highly acidic which causes tooth erosion and can increase the risk of stomach ulcers.

“Studies have also linked cola beverages … with an increased risk of osteoporosis.”

Ms McGrice said drinking water was the best option.