Full sugar content cut in Pepsi, Mountain Dew soft drinks in Australia as PepsiCo confirms artificial sweetener added
PepsiCo has reduced the amount of sugar in its Pepsi and Mountain Dew brands - with each now containing about 35 and 40 per cent less sugar.
The sugar content has been replaced with artificial sweeteners instead.
Popular Aussie food influencer Russ Eats first noticed the change on Pepsi's packaging after its health star rating went from 0.5 stars to 1.5 stars and shared the news on his social media page.
He said the packaging still looked the same, with the only notable difference being the nutritional ranking.
'Full sugar Pepsi and Mountain Dew are gone,' he said in a TikTok.
'Now the packaging looks the same, that's what's so sneaky, but the health star went up, and guess what?
'They've taken out some of the sugar and added … sweetener.
'Have a look at the Mountain Dew, there was sugar now there's sweetener.'
PepsiCo have been contacted for comment but in a statement confirmed they reduced the sugar content in Pepsi and Mountain Dew in response to consumers who were looking for products with less sugar.
'The new formulas contain low-calorie sweeteners and a lower sugar content,' a spokesman told 9honey Kitchen.
'We've also undertaken extensive sensory research to ensure we're still delivering the same great taste consumers know and love.'
The news has outraged some social media users, who quickly shared their disappointment online.
'Daughter is a type 1 diabetic. Mountain Dew literally saved her life a number of times,' one commented.
Another said her friend relied on the sugar content in Pepsi as she was allergic to sweeteners, while another said the company needed to put out a warning the new product was 'dangerous for diabetics'.
A third said: 'I'm outraged! I'd get angry and riot but my energy levels have dropped.'
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