Change can be difficult. Sometimes that’s because we really like something the way it is and can’t even imagine how changing it could do anything but ruin whatever it is. There’s comfort in things staying the same.

Other times, change is a good thing. It can be an improvement on something that we may or may not have realized even needed improving.

Coca-Cola has decided to make a change, and not everyone is happy about it. The company has decided to change the flavor of one of its popular beverages, Coke Zero Sugar.

According to Coke CEO James Quincey, Coke Zero Sugar is definitely not the brand’s most popular product. In an April analyst call, Quincey explained, “Despite its enormous success, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar still represents a relatively small percentage,” that’s why the brand decided to try to do something to make it even more appealing. He continued, “The improved recipe brings its taste even closer to that [of] the iconic Coca-Cola.”

Coco-Cola has messed with, we mean, “improved,” the recipe of Coke Zero Sugar, and some die hard fans have decided that the new flavor is so horrible that they’ll never drink it again. The new flavor will make it’s debut in the United States this month, but it has already been released overseas.

Fans in Great Britain are urging fans of the old flavor of Coke Zero Sugar to sign a petition to make Coke change the flavor back.

I’m with you: I also won’t be buying the new taste Coke Zero, despite being a loyal Coca Cola fan for 30 years. Please sign the petition on @BringBackZero to remind Coke that we love their products just as they were!

— Val Slipper (@ValSlipper) May 16, 2021

Other fans are recommending alternative beverages until Coke fixes this “mistake.”

It seems @CocaCola didn’t learn its lesson from the “New Coke” fiasco in 1985. My husband and I switched to RC Cola until Coke returned the original product (rebranded as Coke Classic) to consumers. Since you like(d) #cokezero, I recommend Diet Rite as a replacement.

— Elegy Davenport (@ElegyDavenport) July 13, 2021

Yet other fans of the old flavor are sarcastically happy that Coke changed things up because they were instantly able to break their addiction to the product.

uh oh my mom is going to be mad. she loves coke zero lol

— madi♡²⁸ (@anditslou) June 26, 2021

Besides changing the flavor of Coke Zero Sugar, Coco-Cola has also changed the look. You’ll know you’re buying the new version of the product when you see the all red can with black writing on it instead of the older version that included more black and white than red.

Are you a fan of Coke Zero Sugar? Are you worried you won’t like the new flavor? Do you think it was a mistake for Coke to mess with the flavor of a somewhat popular product?