According to a recent report in CNN Business, more and more beverage brands are dropping the word “diet.”
That’s because, according to Greg Lyons, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo Beverages North America, “Younger people just don’t like the word.”
Despite the branding issue, sales of “diet” sodas – or no-calorie versions of their sugared counterparts – have grown nearly 20% since 2018.
Still, soda companies have been moving towards de-emphasizing the “dieting” element by changing the names.
Now, Pepsi, Coke and Dr. Pepper all offer “Zero Sugar” versions of their popular drinks, though many of the formulas have not changed.
Despite the semantic change, diet culture is still as prevalent as ever.
According to Boston Medical Center, an estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet every year.
