Will Diet Coke Be Banned in the United States Starting January 20th?

Since President Trump’s election, one of his nominated cabinet members, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been vocal about removing harmful ingredients from food, promoting healthier lifestyles, and reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods. However, a viral claim has circulated on social media stating that, effective January 20th, all consumption of Diet Coke will be banned in the United States. Fact Crescendo has investigated this and found the claim to be false.

Social Media Claim

Recently, a claim posted on Facebook went viral, bearing the headline, “Diet Coke Will Be Banned in the United States Starting January 20th.” The post quickly gained widespread attention, sparking numerous user reactions, comments, and shares across the platform.

Many individuals in the U.S. and around the world expressed shock over the alleged announcement, discussing the potential ban on the consumption of Diet Coke mentioned in the post. Dated December 5, 2024, the Facebook post generated significant buzz, causing many to believe the claim was legitimate.

For more information and specifics regarding this post, you can find the details below.

Facebook Post | Archived Link

The following post, which has gained attention online, was also shared by a Facebook user who stated, “BANNING all consumption of Diet Coke in the United States. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”.

Facebook Post | Archived Link

The same screenshot, along with the identical claim, has also been observed and shared by another X user.

This repetition highlights the viral nature of the claim and its ability to spread across different platforms, with the claim stating, “Effective January 20th, all consumption of Diet Coke will be banned in the United States”.

X Post | Archived Link

Given the claim’s extensive dissemination and the considerable attention, it has received from the internet community, we believed it was necessary to perform a fact-check on the above subject.

Fact Check

Fact Crescendo has started debunking the above claim and verifying the above claim through reliable sources, especially with the recent and latest news on the Coca-Cola Company’s official announcements.

As of the publication of this article, there has been no official announcement, legislative action, or credible evidence to indicate that Diet Coke or any similar product is subject to a ban in the United States. Neither the federal government nor any state or regulatory agency, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has issued any statement or directive supporting such a claim.

According to official announcements from the Coca-Cola Company, the last three statements issued by the company have no relation to a potential Diet Coke ban in the U.S.

The first announcement, published in November, focused on the upcoming holiday season and promotions related to that time of year.
The second announcement introduced actor Jamie Dornan as the new ambassador for Diet Coke, which was a marketing initiative aimed at promoting the brand.
The third announcement highlighted a partnership between Coca-Cola and Oreo, with both brands becoming “besties” in a collaborative effort to promote their products together.

None of these announcements mentioned or alluded to any kind of ban on Diet Coke in the United States. This confirms that the claims circulating on social media about such a ban are false and misleading.

Coca-Cola Link | Archived Link

Fact Crescendo also discovered that the original claim originated from an account on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that included the“parody” in its full name. The parody account’s original post, dated December 4, read “BREAKING: Effective January 20th, I will be BANNING all consumption of Diet Coke in the United States. It’s time to Make America Healthy Again. #MAHA Who’s with me?”

This satirical post was misconstrued by many as factual, sparking confusion and widespread discussions online.

X Post | Archived Link

In addition, there is no evidence to suggest that Kennedy’s official X account, @RobertKennedyJr, which he frequently uses to post to the media and share formal statements, was the source of the post promising to ban Diet Coke. The viral claim originated from the parody account, not from Kennedy’s verified profile.

This further underscores that the claim was intended as satire and was not an official announcement from Kennedy or his campaign.

X Account | Archived Link

According to CNN, Robert F. Kennedy is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the nation’s top health agency. His policy platform has sparked significant public interest, particularly his proposals to remove ultra-processed foods from school lunches and to ban several food additives and chemicals commonly found in packaged foods.

For more information and specifics regarding this article, you can find the details below.

CNN News Report | Archived Link

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Conclusion

Fact Crescendo found that the claim, accompanied by the photo posted on social media, is false. There has been no official announcement, legislation, or credible evidence to suggest that Diet Coke or any similar product is facing a ban in the U.S. Moreover, it has been discovered that the original post making this claim was created by a parody account on X.