Pepsi-Cola supplanted Diet Coke as the No. 2 soda brand in the U.S. by volume in 2014 as Americans continued to flee diet soft drinks, according to industry data published Thursday.

Overall U.S. soda consumption contracted 0.9%, the 10th straight yearly decline, as health-conscious consumers drop traditional carbonated drinks for everything from water to energy drinks to tea.

Coca-Cola Co.'s full-calorie Coke remained the country's top-selling soda last year with a market share of 17.6% after its volume rose 0.2%, according to Beverage Digest, a trade publication and data service.

But Diet Coke fell to No. 3, with a soda market share of 8.5%, after volume plunged 6.6% in 2014. PepsiCo Inc.'s full-calorie Pepsi-Cola had a market share of 8.8% after its volumes dropped 1.8%. Diet Coke had leapfrogged Pepsi-Cola for second place in 2010.

The reversal highlights the mounting woes of diet soda, which have fallen more sharply in the U.S. than full-calorie soda in each of the last four years. More consumers are concerned about the health impact of artificial, zero-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame even though the Food and Drug Administration says such sweeteners are safe.

Overall volumes of all nonalcoholic beverages including bottled water rose 1.7% in the U.S. last year after dropping 1.6% in 2013, according to Beverage Digest. Volumes at Nestlé SA's water division rose 9.1%, boosted by popular brands such as Nestlé Pure Life and Poland Spring.

Nestlé's market share of U.S. nonalcoholic beverages rose 0.7 percentage points to 11.0%, replacing Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. as the No. 3 industry player by volume. Dr Pepper Snapple's market share slipped 0.2 percentage points to 10.7% after volume dipped 0.1%.

Overall beverage volumes at Coke and PepsiCo each rose 0.3%. Coke had a 33.6% market share in U.S. nonalcoholic beverages, down 0.5 percentage point from 2013. PepsiCo's market share slipped 0.3 percentage point to 25.4%.

Write to Mike Esterl at mike.esterl@wsj.com

Access Investor Kit for NESTLE SA ORD REG

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=CH0038863350

Access Investor Kit for The Coca-Cola Co.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US1912161007

Access Investor Kit for Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US26138E1091

Access Investor Kit for NESTLE SA ORD REG

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US6410694060

Access Investor Kit for PepsiCo, Inc.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US7134481081

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Keurig Dr Pepper (NYSE:KDP)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Keurig Dr Pepper Charts.
Keurig Dr Pepper (NYSE:KDP)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Keurig Dr Pepper Charts.