Sprite to debut sugar substitute in UK

by Joe Thomas, marketingmagazine.co.uk 04-Feb-09, 09:00

LONDON - Coca-Cola is set to roll out Sprite Green, its first drinks brand using Truvia sweetener, in the UK.

Truvia is a natural sugar substitute - a market that is predicted to be the next battleground between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. The companies have developed various natural sweeteners due to concerns over food additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners often used in diet drinks.

Last year Pepsi stole a march by launching its first product with a natural sweetener, PureVia, in the US, but Coca-Cola has now followed suit with Sprite Green.

The drink, a reduced-calorie extension of the Sprite brand, has been trademarked in the UK. Coca-Cola is now working with Ogilvy & Mather Paris on the relaunch of the Sprite brand across Europe. Sprite Green is currently available only in New York and Chicago.

The sweetener is derived from stevia, a South American plant used to create natural sugar substitutes.

Following its launch of PureVia in 2008, PepsiCo announced that as well as being used in some drinks, the sweetener would be rolled out across its food products globally.

Sprite is the UK's seventh-biggest-selling carbonated soft drink. In 2008, its UK sales increased 6.7% on 2007, from £56.2m to £59.9m, according to Nielsen. PepsiCo-owned rival 7-Up also grew its sales, from £27.8m to £29.6m, a rise of 6.5% year on year.

Timeline

May 2008 Coca-Cola reveals partnership with food science company Cargill to transform stevia into a natural beverage sweetener, branded Truvia.
July 2008 PepsiCo partners with Whole Earth Sweetener Company to introduce stevia-derived PureVia.
December 2008 Truvia gets clearance from FDA; Sprite Green launches in US.