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PepsiCo Rolls Out Reduced-Sugar Pepsi and Mountain Dew in Australia

The recipe swaps about a third of sugar for artificial sweeteners acesulfame potassium/sucralose, raising health star ratings from 0.5 to 1.5.

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Overview

  • PepsiCo confirmed the new Australian formulas cut sugar by roughly 35% in Pepsi and 40% in Mountain Dew by substituting low-calorie sweeteners.
  • The switch boosts Australia’s Health Star Rating for both drinks from 0.5 to 1.5 out of 5 under the national labeling system.
  • Company representatives say extensive sensory research was conducted to preserve the original taste profile despite the ingredient changes.
  • Australian food influencer Russ Eats first flagged the reformulation after spotting the upgraded star ratings on store packaging.
  • The move has drawn criticism from diabetics and sweetener-allergic consumers and prompted comparisons to Coca-Cola’s 1985 New Coke backlash.