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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want to be free to choose to drink sugary shite if I want to?

324 replies

HodorHodorHodor · 17/03/2018 19:34

Was in Subway earlier (yup IAdefU for that) and went over to get the drinks out of the fridge cabinet. Only choices were Pepsi max, diet Pepsi, club zero, 7up free. I had a bottle of water in the end, as I can't stand artificial sweeteners. Called over to my OH the choices (classy) and the guy behind the till said it wasn't Subway but Pepsi's fault and this was how it was going to be from now on. WTF? I get it's cheaper with the sugar tax etc but it seems to be more and more how this is going. I'd rather drink sugar than the chemicals pumped into the sugar free versions. Just feels like the element of choice is stealthily being removed. Tried a quick Google but couldn't see anything about this. I was still in the process of forgiving Subway for ditching Coke! I'm not about to combust with rage about it but just wondered what you all thought.

OP posts:
KatyMac · 21/03/2018 15:58

look here

& here

YoloSwaggins · 21/03/2018 16:01

Wasn't it proven that diet drinks make people fatter than full-sugar ones, because they taste like sugar but do not provide the nutrition - so make your body crave real sugar?

carefreeeee · 21/03/2018 16:02

Agree - the sugar free ones are even unhealthier. Sugar tax should apply to all sweet drinks IMO - whether sugary or sweetened. Encourage people to have a good old fashioned cup of tea or glass of tap water instead. Much better for the environment too.

opionated · 21/03/2018 16:13

personally im all for a fat tax as long as its a true fat tax say 1 pound per pound over weight dont punish healthy people for liking a rare treat

IamMoana · 21/03/2018 16:13

Pizza Hut have done the same. You can have deep fried starters, a stuffed crust pizza dripping in cheese, unlimited ice cream station with various toppings. But you cannot have a glass of full fat coke. Completely baffling.

carefreeeee · 21/03/2018 16:22

they might as well have cheese tax as that is much more unhealthy

erm no that is not true.

Naturally occurring fat is good for you and cheese has plenty of other nutrients in it. There is nothing unhealthy about cheese (unless you are eating some weird low fat version that has been tampered with)

Fizzy drinks have no nutrients in at all. They only have unhealthy ingredients.

Slippery · 21/03/2018 16:26

You can blame Subway because obviously they will only buy Pepsico drinks.

If they bought other brands you'd be able to get sugar in them.

For a long time now there've been very few brands of lemonade that don't contain sweeteners. For example, Schweppes lemonade and tonic both contains sweeteners. The only lemonade I've found without it is Waitrose own brand. Sprite used to be okay, but haven't bought it for ages, so may have changed.

Old Jamaica Ginger beer is still made with sugar, and their diet version is made with saccharin, which isn't as bad as aspartame.

rach01pink · 21/03/2018 16:51

Its funny the way obese people are being blamed for all of the nhs problems...obese people can be obese for a variety of reasons...a lot of them not out of choice..

How about we ask the government how much its spends on methadone and other drug substitutes, people who have choice...

As soon as some one mentions obesity people seem to think of a glutinous 30 stone person stuffing pizzas and ice cream into their mouths by the truck load..... Its not always like that ..... No one thinks of the drain a drug addict / alcoholic / smoker has on the public purse as a whole not just the nhs

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 21/03/2018 16:59

I am convinced that sweeteners just push people to consume more sugar. And in any case, I’m a bloody adult, and if I want a sugary drink, I’ll have one! It’s a rare occasion that I do, so give me the real thing, please. Not this fake tasting nonsense that gives me the shits.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 21/03/2018 17:13

Agreed. I hate any type of diet drink but because some people can't be responsible with consumption levels, we all get policed on it.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 21/03/2018 17:14

Try buying squash that's not sugar free now! Bloody nanny state etc etc

bruffin · 21/03/2018 17:27

I only by cordials now

StormTreader · 21/03/2018 17:31

The manufacturers are shooting themselves in the foot.

This isnt like when they put in palm oil or reduce portion sizes where people complain and then forget how the old one was, these are sweeteners that people have to avoid because they have bad reactions to them. The people that stop buying these wont be buying equal amounts of the sweetener versions in 6 months time, they will move away from fizzy drinks and never come back. They are going to lose a percentage of their customer base for good.

The pubs are also going to notice the drop as people start ordering "a jug of tap water" and no other drinks with their meals.

expatinscotland · 21/03/2018 17:40

'The pubs are also going to notice the drop as people start ordering "a jug of tap water" and no other drinks with their meals.'

Oh, definitely.

carefreeeee · 21/03/2018 17:50

The pubs are also going to notice the drop as people start ordering "a jug of tap water" and no other drinks with their meals

The people that stop buying these wont be buying equal amounts of the sweetener versions in 6 months time, they will move away from fizzy drinks and never come back

These are the desired effects surely ??? why do people see this as a problem? Personally though as I have come to realise how bad fizzy drinks are, I now only really drink beer or wine in pubs. So I don't think they have lost out.

Notwellbitch · 21/03/2018 18:02

These are the desired effects surely ??? why do people see this as a problem? Personally though as I have come to realise how bad fizzy drinks are, I now only really drink beer or wine in pubs. So I don't think they have lost out.

Ah yes, beer and wine, the well known healthy alternatives to full sugar soft drinks Grin

This is ridiculous. I have a Coke or Sprite about once a fortnight. In moderation there is nothing bad about fizzy drinks with sugar. Diet versions are so much worse. As usual Its the people overdoing it who ruin everything for other people! Luckily I live in America where you can get a bucket full of soda with free refills so this isn't something I have to worry about until I visit the UK in the summer.

expatinscotland · 21/03/2018 18:15

'why do people see this as a problem? Personally though as I have come to realise how bad fizzy drinks are, I now only really drink beer or wine in pubs. So I don't think they have lost out.'

Can't really order alcohol for my kids when having a pub lunch. Used to order them some fizz but well, water now, so the pub's lost that revenue.

Gwenhwyfar · 21/03/2018 23:05

" In moderation there is nothing bad about fizzy drinks with sugar. Diet versions are so much worse. "

I really don't buy this. Yes, there are problems with some sweeteners such as aspartame, but so much worse than drinks full of calories that make you fat and sugar that makes your teeth fall out? I don't think so.

randomsabreuse · 21/03/2018 23:20

The big problem for me is the taste. I drink fizzy drinks as an occasional treat when I want a sugary pick me up.

I am well aware they are not healthy - neither is chocolate or a bag of sweets- all are treats not every day things.

I already pay a premium to get sweetener free squash and canned drinks - San Pellegrino cans are currently ok (old Jamaica has now changed to sugar and sweeteners) and are my change from full sugar coke.

Squash is a big bugbear - reduced to the posh cordial now - but again it's an occasional treat, like a glass of wine - not a staple.

They haven't banned chocolate (yet!)

Notwellbitch · 22/03/2018 00:08

I really don't buy this. Yes, there are problems with some sweeteners such as aspartame, but so much worse than drinks full of calories that make you fat and sugar that makes your teeth fall out? I don't think so.

That's why I said "in moderation". Why would the calories in a soft drink make you fat if you have an otherwise healthy lifestyle? I'm not fat and haven't had any teeth fall out yet due to my once a fortnight coke

HunterofStars · 22/03/2018 00:09

I'm trying to wean myself off fizzy drinks and I will only buy cordials from now on. ATM I'm drinking Rocks blackcurrant cordial hot. It tastes just as good as the old Ribena.

For the poster that was trying to find a decent lemonade, may I recommend the Fever Tree Sicilican Lemonade. This tastes like old fashioned lemonade and has no sweeteners at all.

HunterofStars · 22/03/2018 00:15

Yes, there are problems with some sweeteners such as aspartame, but so much worse than drinks full of calories that make you fat and sugar that makes your teeth fall out? I don't think so.

I don't think fizzy drinks and sugar make your teeth fall out. There's other factors too, like diet, smoking, gum disease and poor dental hygiene, for example, not brushing and flossing properly.

planetclom · 22/03/2018 00:23

Totally with you and I only drink diet drinks as I don't like the taste of sugar... I know odd! And I am hugely over weight for the record.
It seems that companies have decided they have a price point so choice for the consumer is out the window. There should be no issue with them supplying normal varieties it will just cost the consumer more, but if that's what you want you would rather pay that then have to buy diet.
So many places only sell Coke Zero or Pepsi Max instead of Diet Coke and Pepsi and that gives me the rage because to me they taste rank.
So yes you should be able to the drink you enjoy.

Catatlarge · 22/03/2018 00:30

Friend runs a pub, and buys the boxes or syrup for the Pepsi/coke guns. They are usually around £50 each but the sugar tax is going to add on £70 to each box. that makes each box £120. So the average pint of Pepsi/coke to maintain GP would need to be over a fiver. No body is obviously going to pay that so she’s switched to Pepsi max and has bottles of coke in the fridge.