Trump pushes Coke's new sugar switch
Coca-Cola has confirmed that it plans to roll out a product made with cane sugar in the U.S., but will also continue to sell the traditional version of the drink, which contains corn syrup.
Tuesday's announcement by Coca-Cola followed comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced that the company would use cane sugar in the U.S.Coca-Cola said it would not replace the corn syrup currently used but would introduce a new product range with cane sugar. It is scheduled to hit the market in the autumn.
In the U.S., Mexican Coca-Cola with cane sugar is already available at a higher price. Unlike in other countries, Coca-Cola drinks containing sugar have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in the U.S. production since the 1980s.The syrup is cheaper, sweeter and has a longer shelf life than other types of sugar.
It has been criticized as unhealthy primarily by Trump's Health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Trump himself is known to drink sugar-free Diet Coke, which contains sweeteners.
Nevertheless, he wrote last week that everyone would soon realize that Coca-Cola with cane sugar was 'just better.' Industry experts then pointed out that the U.S. does not produce enough cane sugar to replace corn syrup in beverages. The U.S. agricultural industry also warned that switching to cane sugar would harm U.S. corn farmers.
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