Wegmans Discontinues Private Label Soda

Due to ingredient concerns, East Coast-grocer Wegmans is discontinuing its popular private label brand of soda.

First covered by local ABC13 WHAM, the retailer has removed the WPOP drinks from the shelves, citing that the artificial ingredients do not meet the requirements for Wegmans’ “Our Food You Feel Good About” mantra. An official statement from the retailer was placed in stores where the private label soda would normally be.

“Our Food You Feel Good About banner stands for no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives,” said the company. “We are discontinuing Wegmans brand soda because it contains artificial ingredients like aspartame and high fructose corn syrup. We are committed to our mission of helping customers live healthier, better lives through exceptional food, and we want you to feel confident in our Wegmans Brand products.”

The move comes as more retailers continue to adopt “better-for-you” and “free-from” programs to cater towards health-conscious consumers. According to the local report, WPOP has been a staple of Wegmans stores since the 1990s. 

Wegmans operates 109 grocery stores  in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina and Massachusetts.