This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/22/coke-cane-sugar-trump
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Coca-Cola to launch Coke with cane sugar in the US after Trump post | Coca-Cola to launch Coke with cane sugar in the US after Trump post |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Experts say switching corn syrup for cane sugar does not make the drink healthier | Experts say switching corn syrup for cane sugar does not make the drink healthier |
| Coca-Cola has laid out plans to launch a product made with US cane sugar this year, days after Donald Trump claimed the company had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup. | Coca-Cola has laid out plans to launch a product made with US cane sugar this year, days after Donald Trump claimed the company had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup. |
| The company announced the change in a quarterly earnings report released on Tuesday. | The company announced the change in a quarterly earnings report released on Tuesday. |
| On a conference call with investors, Coca-Cola’s chairperson and CEO, James Quincey, said the company planned “to expand our trademark … product range with US cane sugar to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences”. | |
| Quincey said the new offering would “complement” Coca-Cola’s core portfolio of drinks, suggesting it could arrive as an alternative, rather than a replacement, for its flagship Coke product. | Quincey said the new offering would “complement” Coca-Cola’s core portfolio of drinks, suggesting it could arrive as an alternative, rather than a replacement, for its flagship Coke product. |
| “This is really an ‘and’ strategy and not an ‘or’ strategy,” Quincey said, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We are going to continue to use a lot of the corn syrup that we do now.” | “This is really an ‘and’ strategy and not an ‘or’ strategy,” Quincey said, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We are going to continue to use a lot of the corn syrup that we do now.” |
| The drink maker’s Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar and already sold in the US – but often at nearly twice the price. | The drink maker’s Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar and already sold in the US – but often at nearly twice the price. |
| Additionally, the US doesn’t make enough cane sugar to satisfy demand in the country. | Additionally, the US doesn’t make enough cane sugar to satisfy demand in the country. |
| Tuesday’s announcement from Coca-Cola came as food and drink companies have rolled out plans to make changes amid “Make America healthy again” (Maha) campaign of the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr. | |
| However, experts say that drinks made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup are not necessarily healthier. | |
| Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, previously told CNN: “Excess consumption of sugar from any source harms health. To make the US food supply healthier, the Trump administration should focus on less sugar, not different sugar.” | Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, previously told CNN: “Excess consumption of sugar from any source harms health. To make the US food supply healthier, the Trump administration should focus on less sugar, not different sugar.” |
| Coca-Cola had defended its use of corn syrup – a product some blame for soaring US obesity rates – after Trump claimed on 16 July he had convinced the brand to switch to using sugar cane in its US drinks. | Coca-Cola had defended its use of corn syrup – a product some blame for soaring US obesity rates – after Trump claimed on 16 July he had convinced the brand to switch to using sugar cane in its US drinks. |
| “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. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola,” the president said in a social media post. | “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. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola,” the president said in a social media post. |
| “This will be a very good move by them – You’ll see. It’s just better!” | “This will be a very good move by them – You’ll see. It’s just better!” |
| Coca-Cola said in a statement that “high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn. 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.” | Coca-Cola said in a statement that “high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn. 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.” |
| It added that the American Medical Association (AMA) “has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners”. And it said: “Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances.” | It added that the American Medical Association (AMA) “has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners”. And it said: “Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances.” |
| In 2023, the AMA released a statement saying it recognized “that at the present time, insufficient evidence exists to specifically restrict use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or other fructose-containing sweeteners in the food supply or to require the use of warning labels on products containing HFCS”. | In 2023, the AMA released a statement saying it recognized “that at the present time, insufficient evidence exists to specifically restrict use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or other fructose-containing sweeteners in the food supply or to require the use of warning labels on products containing HFCS”. |
| Initially, the drinks giant responded with a neutral statement of appreciation for “president Trump’s enthusiasm” for Coke, and a vague message about “new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range” to come. | Initially, the drinks giant responded with a neutral statement of appreciation for “president Trump’s enthusiasm” for Coke, and a vague message about “new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range” to come. |
| The soft drinks company released an additional statement making positive claims about high-fructose corn syrup. | The soft drinks company released an additional statement making positive claims about high-fructose corn syrup. |
| The Associated Press and Reuters contributed | The Associated Press and Reuters contributed |
| The Associated Press and Reuters contributed | The Associated Press and Reuters contributed |