PepsiCo under fire for allegedly misleading consumers about one of its popular products — here's why it had to issue a recall

Zero-sugar soft drinks are convenient for those who cannot consume sugar for medical or dietary reasons. 

However, as Top Class Actions reported, the popular soft drink brand PepsiCo was under fire in June for falsely advertising one of its zero-sugar drinks.

What's happening?

Dr Pepper Zero was recalled in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina for containing "full sugar."

PepsiCo, the food and beverage company that owns Dr Pepper, announced a voluntary recall of 19,203 cases of 12-ounce cans of Dr Pepper Zero Sugar. 

Cans with product code XXXXRS05165 and "best by" date of Feb. 16, 2026, that were distributed to Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were affected.

The Food and Drug Administration escalated the recall to a Class II designation, indicating that the product may cause "temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences."

Those with the mislabeled products were advised to return their Dr Pepper Zero cans for a refund.

Why is this PepsiCo recall important?

This recall is particularly concerning for individuals with medical conditions that limit their ability to consume large amounts of sugar. 

It's not the first time this brand has been accused of misleading its customers, either. 

In 2024, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola were hit with a lawsuit from Los Angeles County that accused the companies of misleading consumers about how effective recycling is in addressing plastic waste.

When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you? The way it looks 😍 The information it provides 🧐 The waste it produces 🗑️ I don't think about packaging at all 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

PepsiCo is already under scrutiny for being one of the world's leading producers of plastic waste. In 2024, the company was hit with another lawsuit over misleading claims about environmental practices, also known as greenwashing.

What's being done about PepsiCo's controversies?

The Dr Pepper Zero recall hopefully minimized any associated risks.

Elsewhere, PepsiCo has taken additional steps to improve its public image, including offering more reusable products. 

In September, PepsiCo also announced that it would be investing $6.7 million in grant donations to "projects exploring regenerative agriculture in Canada, Australia, and Mexico."

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