Corn Syrup Debate Ignites as Trump Pushes for ‘Real Cane Sugar’ in Coca-Cola – UK Reaction and Industry Pushback
The conversation around corn syrup has exploded once again — this time sparked by former US President Donald Trump. In a recent Truth Social post, Trump claimed Coca-Cola had agreed to use “REAL Cane Sugar” in its U.S. products after talks with him, calling the switch “just better.”
“We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola brand,” a Coca-Cola spokesperson said in response.
However, the company stopped short of confirming any reformulation, only hinting that “more details on new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range will be shared soon.”
Currently, Coca-Cola’s American soft drinks are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup — a cheaper, mass-produced alternative to cane sugar that’s become common across the U.S. food and beverage industry.
But not everyone’s raising a glass to Trump’s sugary ambitions. The Corn Refiners Association fired back, defending the existing formula. The trade group stressed that such a switch would have deep economic consequences.
“Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn’t make sense. President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers, and reducing the trade deficit.
Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit,” the group said in a public statement.
That’s not the only pushback Trump’s proposal is stirring. While the former president didn’t mention corn syrup directly in his post, others have.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his Make America Healthy Movement have long campaigned against ingredients like corn syrup, seed oils, and artificial additives, often linking them to rising health issues across the States.
Kennedy once pointed the finger directly at corn syrup, blaming it as a major factor in America’s “obesity epidemic.”
Interestingly, fans of Coca-Cola might already be familiar with a sugar-sweetened version of the drink. “Mexicoke”, the name given to Mexican-imported Coca-Cola made with cane sugar, has gained a cult following. Many American consumers claim it simply tastes better.
The claim that Coca-Cola could alter its U.S. formula has reignited earlier tensions between food producers, policymakers, and consumer health groups, as outlined in this report on the ongoing corn syrup controversy.
Though this debate is unfolding across the Atlantic, it has sparked discussion in the UK too, particularly among health advocates and beverage industry watchers.
British Coca-Cola products are already sweetened using sugar or artificial sweeteners due to tighter food regulations and the UK’s sugar tax.
Still, the spotlight on corn syrup raises wider questions around ingredients in everyday products — and the influence political figures have in shaping food trends.
For now, Coca-Cola hasn’t officially confirmed any changes. But Trump’s high-profile nudge — and the backlash it’s ignited — has definitely stirred the pot.
