Trump says Coke will shift to cane sugar. But increasingly, shoppers want no sugar in their sodas

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The debate over whether Coca-Cola should use high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar in its signature soda obscures an important fact: Consumers are increasingly looking for Coke with no sugar at all.

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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which was introduced in 2017, uses both the artificial sweetener aspartame and the natural sweetener stevia in its recipe. It’s one of Coke’s fastest-growing products, with global case volumes up 14% in the first quarter of the year. By comparison, the company’s total case volumes were up 2%.

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PepsiCo also noted Thursday that 60% of its sales volumes in major markets in the second quarter came from low- or no-sugar drinks.

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“When you look at colas, the percentage of growth coming from zero sugar is significant,” said Duane Stanford, the editor and publisher of Beverage Digest.

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Coca-Cola Co. hasn’t confirmed a presidential pronouncement

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The scrutiny over Coke’s sweeteners began Wednesday, when President Donald Trump announced that Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. had agreed to switch to using cane sugar in the regular version of its beverage manufactured in the U.S.

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“I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”

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Coca-Cola didn’t confirm the change. In a statement, the company said it appreciated Trump’s enthusiasm and would share details on new offerings soon.

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Stanford said he doubts Coca-Cola will fully shift away from high fructose corn syrup, which has sweetened Coke in the U.S. since the 1980s. There would be tremendous supply chain and logistics headaches, he said, and the U.S. doesn’t make enough sugar for Coke’s needs.

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He expects the Atlanta-based company will offer a cane sugar-sweetened version in the U.S. just like its rival Pepsi has been doing since 2009. He noted that Coke has indulged U.S. fans by importing Mexican Coke, which is made with cane sugar, since 2005. Coke positions Mexican Coke as an upscale alternative and sells it in glass bottles.

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A rush to defend high fructose corn syrup

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The corn industry wasn’t happy with the speculation. In a statement Wednesday, Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode said replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar makes no sense and would cost thousands of American manufacturing jobs.

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Shares in ADM, a maker of high fructose corn syrup, dipped nearly 2% Thursday after Trump’s announcement.

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In a message on X, Coca-Cola defended high fructose corn syrup, saying it’s no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners.

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“It’s safe; it has about the same number of calories per serving as table sugar and is metabolized in a similar way by your body,” the company said. “Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances.”