Diet Pepsi's divorce from artificial sweetener aspartame didn't last long.
PepsiCo said Monday that it would reintroduce a version of Diet Pepsi made with aspartame, which it had abandoned last year following public pressure over questions about the sweetener's health effects.
The new offering, sweetened with aspartame and Ace-K, will be called Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend and will be offered in 12-packs, 2-liter bottles and 20-ounce bottles.
Diet Pepsi sweetened with sucralose and Ace-K — the version that replaced the aspartame kind in summer 2015 — will remain as Pepsi's primary calorie-free cola, including in fountain drinks.
The company will also change the name of its Pepsi MAX brand to Pepsi Zero Sugar to clear up confusion among consumers who mistakenly believed that Pepsi MAX had calories. That product also uses aspartame and Ace-K, as well as ginseng.
The moves come amid heightened public scrutiny of artificial sweeteners and sugary beverages, a trend that has forced the beverage giants to adjust their product strategies.
“Consumers want choice in diet colas, so we’re refreshing our U.S. lineup to provide three options that meet differing needs and taste preferences," Pepsi said in a statement.
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