7 Up can (stylized as 7up can outside the U.S.) is a brand of lemon-lime-flavored non-caffeinated soft drink. The rights to the brand are held by Keurig Dr. Pepper in the United States and by 7 Up international in the rest of the world. The U.S. version of the 7 Up logo includes a red circle between the “7” and “Up”; this red circle has been animated and used as a mascot for the brand as Cool Spot. Before that, the mascot was a fictional character named Fido Dido created by Joanna Ferrone and Sue Rose. He is still used outside the U.S. for the limited time only 7 Up retro cups.
7up can has been reformulated several times since its launch in 1929. In 2006, the version of the product sold in the U.S. was reformulated so it could be marketed as being “100% natural”. This was achieved by eliminating the chelating agent calcium disodium EDTA, and replacing sodium citrate with potassium citrate to reduce the beverage’s sodium content.[11] This reformulation contains no fruit juice and, in the U.S., is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The manufacturing process used in the production of HFCS has led some public health and advocacy groups to challenge the ad campaign’s “natural” claims.[12] In 2007, after the Center for Science in the Public Interest threatened to sue 7 Up, it was announced that 7 Up would stop being marketed as “100% natural”. Instead, it is now promoted as having “100% Natural Flavors”. The controversy does not extend to other countries, such as the United Kingdom, where HFCS is not generally used in foods, including 7 Up. In 2011, 7 Up began test marketing a formula, called 7 Up Retro, using sugar rather than HFCS. Container labels sport the caption, “Made With Real Sugar”.