New green Coca-Cola ‘Life’ to make its European debut

This green-bottled Coke is naturally sweetened. (Coca-Cola Company)

Coca-Cola is broadening the market for natural soft drinks with its expansion of Coca-Cola Life.

The lower calorie soda sweetened with sugar and “naturally sourced” stevia leaf extract will hit retail shelves in Great Britain starting this September.

The cola, which was first introduced to Argentina and Chile in 2013, contains a third less sugar and a third fewer calories than traditional Coca-Cola. A 330-ml can of Coca-Cola Life has 89 calories. A 12 oz can of Coca-Cola Classic is 141 calories and contains 39 grams of sugar.

“With Coca-Cola Life, we have innovated to provide consumers with a new option with fewer calories,” James Quincey, president, Coca-Cola Europe, stated in a recent press release. “It complements our existing brands and is well-positioned to meet changing lifestyle trends, providing people with a great-tasting, lower calorie cola sweetened from natural sources.”

Sweeteners made with stevia, a plant native to Paraguay, are calorie free and can be up to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar.

The launch of Coca-Cola Life is the latest in a series of initiatives from Coke to address rising obesity rates in the U.K. while promoting active lifestyles. Coca-Cola Life will be available in a variety of recyclable packaging with a signature green label.

While no U.S. release for Coca-Cola Life has been announced, Coca-Cola said it is exploring the potential roll-out of its naturally sweetened soda in other markets.