Lower-Calorie Sprite With Sugar/Stevia To Replace Full-Calorie Version In U.K., France

Euromonitor reports that Coca-Cola intends to replace its full-calorie version of Sprite with the  reduced calorie version sweetened with sugar and stevia. The move is seen as a response to criticism of sugary beverages as a leading contributor to the obesity epidemic. Despite that, Coca-Cola is emphasizing the flavor of the new low-calorie version in its advertising, rather than any purported health benefits. The reduced calorie version was introduced in France in 2012 and In the U.K. in March 2013. All full calorie Sprite is being pulled from store shelves in those markets.