Pepsi Says It's Slashing the Sugar in Its Beverages
By 2025, two-thirds of the beverages made by PepsiCo will contain fewer than 100 calories, the company pledged in a statement Monday.
The announcement is one of the more ambitious efforts on a laundry list of goals PepsiCo has set for 2025 — a move the company hopes will convince "the world's top-performing companies" that they "can and must be forces for good in the world."
The stated goals all fall under two main objectives: to enable better nutrition for consumers and to reduce the company's environmental footprint. Along with slashing the sugar levels in its drinks, they include providing safe water and nutritious food to underserved consumers, reducing food waste and making it packaging recyclable.
“To succeed in today’s volatile and changing world, corporations must do three things exceedingly well: focus on delivering strong financial performance, do it in a way that is sustainable over time and be responsive to the needs of society,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooy says in the statement.
Aside from its namesake beverage, PepsiCo also owns Mountain Dew, Lay's, Tropicana, Doritos, Cheetos, Ruffles, Gatorade, and Walkers — among other brands. Last year, the company decided to drop aspartame from Diet Pepsi after consumer demand showed a preference for beverages free of artificial sweeteners.