Coca-Cola is testing Coke Life, a stevia- and real sugar-sweetened version of its regular cola, and is planning to release it in the United Kingdom in the fall.
Coke Life was released in Argentina and Chile last year, Business Week reported. Sweetened with both stevia and sugar, it includes less sugar than the regular recipe and fewer calories at 89 calories per can compared with 140 in a regular can of Coca-Cola.
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The drink isn’t yet scheduled for a U.S. release, Business Week said.
The beverage is Coca-Cola’s answer to critics of both its high-sugar beverages and its artificially sweetened alternatives. Stevia is derived from a South American shrub.
The announcement of the U.K. release of Coca-Cola Life follows an annual report from Sally Davies, the chief medical Officer for England, who called on manufacturers to voluntarily ramp up efforts to reduce the amount of sugar in their products to avoid potential new regulations such as a "sugar tax."
U.S. sales of carbonated soft drinks have declined for nine straight years, data shows. But
Coca-Cola Life caused a 7 percent rise in beverage sales in Argentina last year, Forbes reported.
While Coke Life may help calm health concerns, U.S. consumers have complained of bitter aftertastes in other beverages sweetened with a stevia-sugar mix, Forbes said.
Reactions on Twitter were mixed.
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