Coca-Cola (KO) is catching flak from Vitaminwater drinkers over its changed formula.
Coca-Cola no longer uses a mix of crystalline fructose and sugar to sweeten Vitaminwater. Instead, the company now uses a mix of sugar and stevia, an artificial sweetener, in the drink. Stevia has already been used in the zero-calorie version of the drink, the Associated Press notes.
Vitaminwater drinkers are complaining that the new formula leaves a metallic aftertaste due to the stevia. Coca-Cola said that it hopes consumers will come to enjoy the taste, but that it’s still listening to complaints to get feedback on the change, reports the Associated Press.
Here is what a few Vitaminwater drinkers had to say about the change on Twitter (TWTR) and Facebook (FB).
- “Sugar is evil, but stevia is revolting.”
- “Stevia is just as terrible as aspartame.”
- “Did @vitaminwater take more citric and ascorbic acid from Revive? Tastes like diet now. It’s terrible -similar to G2 grape but undrinkable.”
- “Please take the Stevia out, it tastes awful!!”
- “Please, please, please stop using Stevia in your products.”
