Top-selling sodas Then vs now
Top-selling sodas: Then vs. now
Diet Coke moved up to No. 2 behind Coke in 2010, knocking perennial contender Pepsi to No. 3. That's one of several surprising changes from 10 years earlier.
No. 10
2010: Fanta
2000: Barq's
The battle for share of the soda pop market hit a milestone last year when Diet Coke ended Pepsi's decades-long tenure as the runner-up to regular Coca-Cola.
Diet Coke's rise reflects the consumer trend toward diet sodas. A decade ago, there were two sugar-free beverages among the top 10 soft drinks, while today there are four, according to Beverage Digest's 2010 soft drink rankings (.pdf file).
Overall, soft drink sales in the United States have declined for six consecutive years, as consumers continue to seek healthier or less costly alternatives. Below is a look at the top-selling sodas of the past decade. You may be surprised at how tastes have changed.
In 2000, Barq's Root Beer was No. 10 on the best-seller list, but last year the spot went to Fanta. Fanta? Consumers may not be reaching for the fruit-flavored beverage in the grocery store, but they're buying it when they order an orange-flavored drink at a Burger King or another fast-food restaurant, says Beverage Digest editor John Sicher.
Barq's, which has fallen out of the top 10, was founded by the Barq Brothers in New Orleans' French Quarter in the late 19th century. The sarsaparilla soda is marketed as the root beer "with bite." It's now owned by Coca-Cola (KO) -- as is Fanta.
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