Pepsi Wrapping Up Year With Blue Packaging

PepsiCo Inc. is beginning to ship its flagship cola in new blue packaging to stores as it prepares to celebrate the beverage’s 100th anniversary next year. Pepsi hopes the new look will help it close the gap between its products and those of rival Coca-Cola Co. Coke holds 43.1% of the U.S. soft-drink market, while Pepsi has 31%. The last time Pepsi changed its packaging was in 1991. For the last six years, its cans and bottles have featured a round logo on top of a red pedestal and the word Pepsi in blue. Now, cans and bottles will have a dominant blue background with the word Pepsi in white. The new packages are hitting store shelves in New Jersey and Hawaii this week. Other areas won’t see the blue packaging until after Pepsi’s Christmas packaging clears the shelves.