American soft drink company Dr Pepper Snapple Group plans to introduce 10-calorie versions of A&W Root Beer,Canada Dry,RC Cola,Sunkist and 7-Up starting from January 2013.
The latest versions are an extension of Dr Pepper Ten soda brands and have already been test marketed in selected regions.
Unlike traditional diet sodas that contain artificial sweeteners,Dr Pepper Snapple's sweetener mix contains high-fructose corn syrup to avoid cloying taste.
The new low-cal beverages are being marketed to both men and women,promising more flavor than diet drinks.
The move is in line with the Texas-based company's strategy to win back health-conscious soda drinkers who had stopped or reduced their calorie intakes.
Low-calorie sodas account for around one-fifth of Dr Pepper's soda sales.Dr Pepper Snapple CEO Larry Young is of the opinion that in the coming years they account for anywhere between 40%and 50%.
Beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are also in the process of making better-tasting diet sodas to arrest a steady decline in overall soda consumption.
