Pepsi recalls one of its top-selling ‘zero sugar’ drinks… because they’re full of sugar
- Some cans of Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale have been recalled
- An internal investigation has shown that the product actually contains ‘full sugar’
- READ MORE: Dietitians reveal 7 nutrition lies we’ve all been told
PepsiCo has recalled one of its best-selling no-sugar drinks after an internal investigation found that it did indeed contain sugar.
The soft drink giant has recalled some sugar-free and caffeine-free Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale because they contain “whole sugar,” according to the FDA.
The FDA said in a report that 233 cases of 7.5 fluid ounce (221 milliliters) cans shipped to Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were affected.
It is not clear whether the recalled soft drink has been removed from store shelves.
However, customers who have purchased the product are advised to throw it away, especially if they need to monitor their blood sugar levels, such as diabetics.
The soft drink giant recalled some sugar-free and caffeine-free Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale on March 9 because they contain “whole sugar,” the FDA said
The ingredients for Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale are listed as: carbonated water, malic acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preservative), aspartame, natural flavors, caramel color, acesulfame potassium.
The values for total sugars and added sugars are listed on the back of the can as zero.
The affected products have the code 20 May 24 MAY20240520VS02164 – MAY20240550VS02164, the FDA said.
Sugar-free and low-calorie drinks have soared in popularity as consumers become more health conscious, with sales of sugar-free soft drinks increasing by almost 20 percent between 2018 and 2021.
And there is growing pressure on manufacturers to reduce the sugar content of their drinks.
In recent years, at least eight U.S. jurisdictions and fifty countries have passed a tax on sugary drinks, also known as a soda tax.
Earlier this year, popular soft drink Vimto was urgently recalled from stores in Britain after it was falsely labeled ‘No added sugar’.
There are also growing concerns about the health effects of artificial sweeteners, based on studies showing that sweeteners may be linked to certain cancers, anxiety and cardiovascular disease.
Last year, the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency classified the popular artificial sweetener aspartame as a possible carcinogen.