US President Donald Trump has announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to use cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup in its products in the US market. According to Trump, this decision was made following discussions with the company.
Coca-Cola already produces a drink sweetened with cane sugar in several countries, including Mexico. In the US, some stores sell a version of Coca-Cola known as “Mexican Coca-Cola,” which is made with cane sugar.
Although there is no official confirmation yet, Coca-Cola said that it will soon present details of new versions of its products. PepsiCo also made a similar statement on Thursday, indicating that it is ready to switch to using sugar if there is demand from consumers.
At the same time, experts warn that replacing corn syrup with cane sugar could significantly complicate supply chains, require new labeling, and, most importantly, lead to a sharp increase in costs. According to estimates, such a move by Coca-Cola could increase the company’s costs by more than $1 billion.
The Corn Refiners Association has stated that the complete withdrawal of corn syrup could reduce the price of corn to $0.34 per bushel and lead to a loss of more than $ 5 billion in agricultural income. This, in turn, could negatively affect jobs in rural areas.
Currently, the issue is still under discussion. While supporters of a healthy lifestyle welcome the possible changes, experts warn that they could have a profound impact on the economy.
