Diet Pepsi has switched up its sweetener but it’s doing it ever so quietly and carefully, so as not to freak everyone out. The goal is to make sure that the soda will taste the way it’s supposed to for a longer time, but because the public in general hate change, the company isn’t going around trumpeting this new formula.

PepsiCo has a mix of two artificial sweeteners now listed in the ingredients, and it’s a combo other newer diet sodas have been using as well, reports the Associated Press. It used to just contain aspartame, but that doesn’t work well in heat and can break down rather easily.

The company kept mum about this change after reports said it was trying out new sweeteners this summer, mostly because a change to a major brand can often signal a big ordeal for whichever product is being futzed around with. And reminding everyone that artificial sweeteners are being used at all isn’t something Pepsi likely doesn’t feel like doing.

A spokeswoman says the new Diet Pepsi has been on shelves since earlier this month in certain cities, and that more stores will start having the sweetener combo of aspartame and acesulfame potassium soon.

“It’s not like a light switch. It’ll start appearing as shelf space clears,” she said. A shiny new ad campaign will roll out in January, with the theme “Love Every Sip.”

Diet Pepsi quietly changes sweetener [Associated Press]

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