If the rumors are true, this October won’t just be about pumpkin spice.
While Coca-Cola has yet to formally announce the return of an early 00s favorite as of Friday, multiple outlets have reported the incoming arrival of Diet Coke Lime on shelves next month. Whispers about the drink’s return became louder when food blogger Markie_devo posted about it on social media this week.
In his Thursday post, the influencer included renderings of packaging with a retro flair and an Oct. 6 release date. Parade said rumors have been circulating for months and that it was “able to corroborate the influencer’s report, suggesting it would be released at major retailers across the country in the coming weeks.”
It explained that Diet Coke Lime first debuted in the early 2000s and then did a disappearing act around 14 years later. Today, there is the Diet Coke Ginger Lime option, but no Diet Coke Lime.
According to a 2023 article in the Daily Meal, Diet Coke Lime was pulled from shelves but sold exclusively on Amazon for a period in the 2010s, along with Diet Coke Cherry.
“A Coca-Cola spokesperson told BuzzFeed News at the time, ‘While Diet Coke Cherry and Diet Coke Lime were available for a limited time during the roll-out of the new flavors in early 2018, they have been phased out of stores and online. However, Diet Coke Cherry continues to be available on Coca-Cola Freestyle,’” said the report. Freestyle refers to Coca-Cola soda fountain machines.
Eventually, fans of the soda couldn’t find it on Amazon anymore either. The Daily Meal said there was outcry and public petitions in response to its disappearance. Citing Buzzfeed again, it said a Coca-Cola spokesperson revealed that the drink was discontinued to make way for its ginger-lime cousin, which they described as an “upgrade” to a “bolder taste experience. Per the Daily Meal, the switch was also part of an effort to appeal to millennials – Diet Coke Cherry was also changed to Diet Coke Feisty Cherry.
“Unfortunately, the new flavors failed to replicate the sensational taste of Diet Coke Lime, and it wasn't long before fans were clamoring for the return of their favorite drink,” said the outlet.
Parade noted that Coca-Cola has been reaching back into the archives for new releases lately, mentioning the limited-time return of Diet Coke Cherry. That re-launch had similar retro packaging to the Diet Coke Lime images shared by Markie_devo.
“Several product listings from grocery stores and online marketplaces, like Instacart, Tops and Shipt feature the revived Diet Coke Lime with ‘retro’ packaging,” said Parade’s report. “So far, it appears the low-calorie soda will be returning in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and 20-ounce individual bottles, but we’ve also heard whispers of 2-liter bottles launching, too.”
Earlier this year, U.K.-based outlet The Grocer also reported on the return of Diet Coke Lime across the pond. Parade noted that a Coca-Cola spokesperson was not immediately available to respond to its request for comment this week. For those eager to crack open a can of Diet Coke Lime but are concerned about the health impact of diet soda, check out Audacy’s recent reporting here.