A Coca-Cola Light Plus bottle. |
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| Type | Diet Cola |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 2007 |
| Related products | Coca-Cola Diet Coke |
Diet Coke Plus (also known as Coca Cola Light Plus) is a formulation of Diet Coke fortified with vitamins and minerals. It is sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium, unlike regular Diet Coke which only contains aspartame.
The drink was released in the United Kingdom in October 2007,available in two variants, one with vitamins B3, B12, and vitamin C, and the other containing antioxidants with added green tea and vitamin C . Although Diet Coke Plus Antioxidants is labeled as sugar free, it actually contains 0.1 grams of sugar in the green tea powder per 100ml.[1][2]
In Brazil this drink was released in January 2010.
On December 10, 2008 the United States Food and Drug Administration wrote a Warning Letter to The Coca-Cola Company that Diet Coke Plus violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.[3] The term "plus" is a regulated term on food and beverages.[3] A food may be labeled "plus" to describe its nutrients only if it contains at least 10% more of the Reference Daily Intake or Daily Reference Value compared to the usual amount.[3] Because Diet Coke Plus labeling does not indicate the increased amount of nutrients, it cannot use the word "plus" on its label.[3] Regardless, snack foods, such as carbonated soda, may never use the word "plus" because the FDA does not consider it appropriate to fortify snack foods.[3] The FDA required The Coca-Cola Company to detail corrective action within 15 days.[3]
The Coca-Cola Company issued a statement saying, "This does not involve any health or safety issues, and we believe the label on Diet Coke Plus complies with FDA's policies and regulations."[4]
When a food manufacturer or marketer violates federal regulations, the FDA generally will send a letter to the company.[4] While the letters themselves are not legally binding, the FDA may take the company to court if it does not take corrective action.[4]
Coca-Cola Co (KO.N) has won the dismissal of a lawsuit accusing it of deceiving consumers into believing its Diet Coke Plus cola drink is healthy.
U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman in Camden, New Jersey rejected arguments in the 2009 case that the world's largest beverage maker broke that state's consumer fraud laws and federal Food and Drug Administration rules in packaging the soda.
The plaintiffs, two New Jersey residents, had argued that Coca-Cola's "boasting" on the soda's label, including use of the term "Plus" and the language "Diet Coke with Vitamins and Minerals," falsely suggested the soda was healthy and nutritious.
But the judge said there was no showing that Atlanta-based Coca-Cola made false statements. He cited an FDA letter explaining that the soda contains at least 10 percent of the recommended daily value of several vitamins and minerals.
"At most, plaintiffs simply claim that their expectations of the soda were disappointed," the judge wrote in his ruling Thursday. "Dissatisfaction with a product, however, is not a quantifiable loss that can be remedied."[5]
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