As you make your way through the soda aisle, you may notice a lot less of the word "diet" than you used to. That's because some diet sodas are disappearing — or at least, that packaging is gone. Instead you'll find those beverages under their new branding: zero sugar.
"Zero sugar" has replaced "diet" for many no-calorie soft drinks. Canada Dry and Schweppes ginger ales, 7Up, A&W and Sunkist, made by Keurig Dr Pepper, now label their diet drinks "zero sugar."
The reason for the overhaul: The word "diet" has fallen out of fashion — especially for Millennials and Gen Z-ers.
(https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/diet-soda-is-disappearing-from-store-shelves/ar-AARNwsc)
While I definitely have been seeing more and more "Zero" products in the soda aisle, I did not know it was because "the young'uns" don't favor the word "diet".
Wonder how long it'll be before "Diet Coke" departs McDonalds? Only to be relabelled Coke Zero....... which already exists. Go figure.
The article continues:
"No Gen Z wants to be on a diet these days," he said, adding that the company is "going to continue to innovate and support that business."
Evolving attitudes toward dieting as a concept mean soda makers have to de-emphasize diet branding as they steam ahead with zero-sugar offerings — even when, as in the case of those brands owned by Keurig Dr Pepper, they're selling the same exact drink.
The tactic could help soda makers bring more consumers, especially younger ones, into the fold. The industry needs those customers if it wants to grow the soda market.
Yup, flavored-waters, energy drinks, and all sorts of frilly foo-foo beverages continue to eat away at soda consumption.
Getting the word "diet" off the product label is yet another defensive maneuver to stopping the bleed.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt
P.S. I posted about the decline in diet sodas way back in 2015:
https://matthonnold.blogspot.com/2015/03/diet-drink-fallout.html