Diet 7Up Changes Formula

Looks like a new diet soft drink formulation is on the quickly approaching horizon. Cadbury Schweppes announced today that they will be introducing a new formula of Diet 7 Up. The new version will be sweetened with sucralose (Splenda brand sweetener) and is due to appear on shelves nationwide beginning May 23, 2005. This will make Diet 7 Up the only diet lemon-lime carbonated drink currently sweetened with sucralose.

Randy Gier, Cadbury Schweppes Executive Vice President of Marketing, had this to say about the new formulation:

"Inspired by our consumers, Diet 7 UP sweetened with SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener stays true to our great lemon-lime flavor, but also meets the needs of our calorie-conscious consumers."

I guess that's true... but I'm wondering what was wrong with the current sweetener they were using? Perhaps they are trying to jump on a bandwagon of sorts. But I've always been taught that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I wonder how big of a taste difference there will be between the current version and the new (different sweetener) version... this seems to be the key to whether the new formulation will experience great success, or if it will fall as flat as a soft drink that's lost its fizz.

And if I'm wrong... then (make 7) up yours.