Why does my Lucozade taste weird?

December 21, 2025 •

3 min read

According to reports, since 2017, the UK's soft drinks industry has undergone major changes due to new tax regulations. This is the primary reason why your Lucozade taste weird, as the company reformulated its product to reduce sugar content, leading to a noticeable change in flavor.

Quick Summary

Several Lucozade recipe changes, most notably a significant sugar reduction and the introduction of artificial sweeteners in 2017, explain the flavor alteration. Later adjustments in 2023 further refined the taste, but the use of non-sugar sweeteners causes a noticeable and sometimes bitter aftertaste for many consumers.

Key Points

Sugar Reduction: In 2017, Lucozade cut its sugar content by 50% to avoid the UK's soft drinks tax, fundamentally altering the flavor.
Artificial Sweeteners: The sugar was replaced by artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame K, which many people perceive as having a bitter or chemical aftertaste.
Lingering Aftertaste: For some, artificial sweeteners bind differently to taste buds than sugar, creating a lingering and unpleasant flavor.
'More Zingy' Recipe: An August 2023 recipe update further tweaked the flavour, swapping sweeteners and aiming for a 'zingier' taste, which again received mixed consumer feedback.
Other Factors: Storage conditions, temperature, and even expired products can cause minor taste variations, though recipe changes are the primary cause of a 'weird' taste.
Packaging Changes: The manufacturer has also made changes to packaging, such as tethered caps, as part of broader brand updates that coincide with recipe tweaks.

For many loyal drinkers, the once-familiar, sugary flavor of Lucozade has changed dramatically, leaving them asking, "Why does my Lucozade taste weird?" The short answer is reformulation, driven by government health initiatives. In response to the UK's soft drinks tax, which came into force in 2018, Lucozade's manufacturer, Suntory, drastically cut the sugar content in its drinks in 2017. This major change involved replacing half the sugar with artificial sweeteners, creating a new and often unwelcome flavor profile for many consumers.

The Great Sugar Reduction of 2017

In a move to avoid the government's sugar levy, Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) took the decision to cut the sugar content in its drinks by around 50%. The old recipe, for example, contained 8.7g of sugar per 100ml, while the new version was reduced to just 4.5g. This change was met with significant backlash from consumers, who complained that the new version tasted 'horrible' and 'vile'.

The role of artificial sweeteners

To compensate for the reduced sweetness from the sugar, artificial sweeteners were added to the recipe. The human tongue perceives artificial sweeteners differently than natural sugar (glucose). While both bind to the 'sweet' receptors, artificial sweeteners can also trigger 'bitter' receptors in some individuals. This often leads to an unpleasant aftertaste that lingers longer than the taste of sugar, contributing to the overall perception of a 'weird' or chemical flavor.

Subsequent recipe tweaks in 2023

In August 2023, the recipe for Lucozade Energy Original and Orange underwent another tweak. Instead of aspartame, sucralose was reportedly used, aiming for a 'more zingy' taste. While the manufacturer suggested this change would be an improvement, consumer reactions remained mixed, with some still noting an undesirable difference in flavour. These ongoing adjustments further explain why the taste can seem inconsistent or 'off' to long-term drinkers.

How storage and other factors affect taste

While reformulation is the main culprit, other factors can also influence the taste of your Lucozade:

Expiration Date: Soft drinks have a best-before date, not a strict expiration date, but the flavor can deteriorate over time, becoming flat or taking on off-notes.
Storage Conditions: Storing the drink in unsuitable conditions, such as high temperatures or direct sunlight, can accelerate chemical reactions that lead to flavor degradation. For instance, artificial sweeteners can have a more intense taste at warmer temperatures.
Contamination: Though rare, improper bottling or storage can introduce foreign tastes. Some consumer complaints have mentioned chemical-like or petroleum-like flavors, which, in some industries, can be traced back to manufacturing issues.

Comparison of Lucozade Taste Profiles


Feature	Original (Pre-2017)	Reformulated (Post-2017)	Observation
Sugar Source	Predominantly Glucose Syrup	Reduced Glucose Syrup + Artificial Sweeteners	Shift from natural sugar to mixed sweeteners
Sweetness Level	High, prominent sweetness	Less sweet initially, with potential bitterness	Less sugar provides a milder sweetness, which is supplemented artificially
Aftertaste	Clean, without a lingering chemical taste	Lingering, sometimes bitter or chemical aftertaste	The perception of bitterness comes from artificial sweeteners hitting certain taste receptors
Flavor Profile	Mellow, full-bodied, sugary	Sharper, 'zingier' (manufacturer's claim), less smooth	Reduced sugar changes the overall flavor and mouthfeel
Tax Status	Subject to 2018 Soft Drinks Industry Levy	Formulated to fall below levy threshold	Recipe change was driven by tax avoidance measures

Conclusion: The new normal

Ultimately, the weird taste of Lucozade is not a mistake but a deliberate and unavoidable consequence of corporate and government-driven health initiatives. Consumers have had to adjust to a new flavour profile that prioritises lower sugar content, even if it comes with the trade-off of a less universally appealing taste. While the manufacturer attempts to fine-tune the recipe, the fundamental change from glucose to a mix of sugar and artificial sweeteners is here to stay, and so is the difference in taste.

For those who pine for the original taste, alternatives are available. Some smaller brands offer glucose-based energy drinks without artificial sweeteners, harking back to the pre-2017 flavor. However, for most, the new taste is the only version available, and it's a testament to how even subtle ingredient changes can have a major impact on a well-established product's identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Lucozade has changed its recipe on multiple occasions. A major reformulation occurred in 2017 to reduce sugar content by 50% and avoid the soft drinks tax, introducing artificial sweeteners. Another tweak was rolled out in 2023 for certain flavours, adjusting the sweeteners for a 'more zingy' taste.

Modern versions of Lucozade contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame K, which replaced a portion of the original glucose content. Some later versions, like the 2023 'zingy' variant, used sucralose.

The core changes made since 2017 are a permanent part of the product due to the ongoing soft drinks tax and company health strategies. While minor flavour tweaks may happen, the fundamental shift away from the original high-sugar formula will not be reversed.

The chemical or bitter aftertaste that some people experience is due to the artificial sweeteners used in the reformulated recipe. These compounds can stimulate different taste receptors on the tongue, causing a different and often lingering sensation compared to natural sugar.

Yes, while Lucozade has a 'best before' date rather than a strict expiration, the flavor quality can degrade over time. It may become flat or develop an 'off' flavour, but this is distinct from the change caused by the recipe reformulation.

Yes, temperature can affect the taste. For some, the flavor of artificial sweeteners can become more intense at warmer temperatures, which may alter the drink's taste perception.

The recipe was changed to reduce its sugar content by 50% in order to fall under the UK's soft drinks tax threshold, which came into effect in 2018. This allowed the company to avoid the additional tax on high-sugar drinks.