#Coca-Cola to change Coke Zero — and consumers are nervous

Coca-Cola is about to change the formula for Coke Zero — and some soda drinkers are having flashbacks.

Later this month, new versions of Coke Zero Sugar will be arriving on store shelves as Coke looks to fend off competition from Pepsi Zero Sugar.

The new recipe, as well as packaging, is meant to taste and look more like classic Coke. But consumers are already suspicious — and some are reminding the company of what happened in 1985.

“You’d better have a backup plan if this as screwed up as New Coke was. Wait-do you even remember New Coke?  Stop messing with a good thing dammit!,” tweeted @Thrtboy69.

Thirty-six years ago, Coca-Cola changed the flavor of regular Coke and consumers hated it, forcing the company to retreat and bring back the old version as “Coca-Cola Classic” — just three months later.

In its statement this week, the company said the new change “optimizes existing Coca-Cola Zero Sugar flavors and existing ingredients,” and promised that it wouldn’t change the basic ingredients.

“All listed ingredients and nutritional information remain the same,” the company said.

The version is already being sold in Europe and Latin America, and so far so good, the company added. “Reaction from consumers in taste tests has been positive,” Coca-Cola executive Rafael Prandini said in a statement.