Pepsi recalls one of its top-selling 'zero sugar' drinks... because they're full of sugar

PepsiCo has recalled one of its top-selling 'zero sugar' drinks after an internal investigation found it does in fact contain sugar.

The soda giant has recalled some sugar-free and caffeine-free Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale because they contain 'full sugar', according to the FDA.

The FDA said in a report that 233 cases of 7.5-fluid-ounce cans (221 milliliters) cans shipped to Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were affected.

It is not clear whether the recalled soda has been removed from store shelves.

However customers who bought the product are advised to throw it away, particularly if they need to monitor their blood sugar, such as in the case of diabetics.

The soda giant has recalled some sugar-free and caffeine-free Schweppes Zero Sugar Ginger Ale on March 9 because they contain 'full sugar', according to the FDA

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 as zero on the back of the can.

The impacted products have the code May 20 24 MAY20240520VS02164 - MAY20240550VS02164, the FDA said. 

Sugar-free and low-calorie drinks have boomed in popularity as consumers become more health conscious, with sales of sugar-free sodas rising almost 20 percent between 2018 and 2021.

And there is growing pressure on manufacturers to reduce the sugar content of their beverages. 

In the last several years, at least eight US jurisdictions and 50 countries have implemented a sugar-sweetened beverage tax, also known as a soda tax.

Earlier this year, in the UK, popular soft drink Vimto was urgently recalled from stores after the drink was labeled with a false 'No Added Sugar' statement.

There have also been mounting concerns about the health effects of artificial sweeteners, based on studies showing sweeteners may be linked to some cancers, anxiety and cardiovascular diseases.

Last year, the World Health Organization's cancer research agency classified the popular artificial sweetener aspartame as a possible carcinogen.