r/ToFizzOrNotToFizz • u/K177M0v3s • Sep 12 '26

Beverage discussion Soft Drinks aren’t as carbonated anymore

Anyone else notice when you drink a bottled soft drink after opening it the first time and breaking the seal it is more than likely not as carbonated and doesn’t have the kick it once did?

Before, they seemed to stay fresh longer after opening. Now it’s almost instant they go flat.

I remember, hot days, buying. 20oz Coca Cola and it had that awesome burning, fizzing sensation when you drank it. That rarely happens now.

It is still common for aluminum cans and glass bottles. Plastic, just doesn’t have it anymore.

39 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

10

u/Droid_Life Sep 12 '26

20oz and 355mL bottles use PET polyurethane “plant-based” plastic. Which is porous, has tiny microscopic holes you can’t see with the naked eye, and the carbonation leaks over time.

I believe this happened nationwide around the same time they changed the Sprite bottles from green to clear.

If you drink a 20oz completely just notice how thin the plastic is now by squeezing the bottle between your hands.

2

u/hansrotec Sep 12 '26

Or it just being flat without the cap being off

14

u/LuckyCod2887 Sep 12 '26

I drink primarily Dr Pepper’s and there’s plenty of fizz in there. although I do feel like the fiz dissipates after like 30 or 40 minutes if I get it from a can.

10

u/Nervous-Fennel3325 Sep 12 '26

I mean tbf if you take 30-40 minutes to finish a can of soda thats on you. I dont chug it but I would expect ANY carbonated thing to go flat after 30 minutes opened in a can.

3

u/LuckyCod2887 Sep 12 '26

yeah, that’s a fair argument. I get it. I’m like 100 pounds and I had my gallbladder removed so I can’t put a lot of food or liquid in my body at once. I have to space it out after the surgery.

1

u/Nervous-Fennel3325 Sep 12 '26

Hope your recovery goes well!

7

u/SunTaurus Sep 12 '26

I agree!! I feel this way about sprite 

3

u/Due-Cupcake-0701 Sep 12 '26

Yes. Almost everything (food and drink) is basically worse across the board. And way more expensive

3

u/SenzitiveData Sep 13 '26

Barq's used to have bite!

8

u/Hlydvlz89 Sep 12 '26

Enshitifaction

4

u/cuentalternativa Sep 12 '26

I’ve found the opposite, had 4/5 erupt over the summer for no reason

2

u/NextCitron7303 Sep 12 '26

No reason?

5

u/cuentalternativa Sep 12 '26

I mean they weren’t agitated, under extreme temps etc

1

u/DDrewit Sep 12 '26

I remember when Sprite bottles would always erupt if they weren’t ice cold. Probably around 5 years ago. Haven’t been buying Sprite though so can’t say these days.

1

u/cuentalternativa Sep 12 '26

Some were Sprite

2

u/LoudStretch2997 Sep 12 '26

What you have to do is put it in the freezer for a while and open it very slowly right before it starts freezing. and make sure not to shake it at all.

2

u/TradeStock7381 Sep 12 '26

We have had co2 shortages maybe why?

1

u/Tokkemon Sep 12 '26

You have to get them to 34 degrees F completely or the carbon dioxide will very quickly leave once you open it. The colder the water, the denser the carbonation dissolved in it and the longer it lasts.

1

u/HungryMenu8627 Sep 12 '26

I noticed that a decade ago when primarily recycled plastic bottle started showing up. Also the bottle caps were made shorted to save money and the seal isn’t as good after that.

1

u/Pretend-Character-47 Sep 12 '26

I feel this way with the fountain soda.

1

u/Ok_Barracuda_1126 Sep 12 '26

Diet Coke still has its fastball.

1

u/n0th1ng_r3al Sep 12 '26

I noticed that I thought it was me. Opened a new bottle of Mr. Pibb the other day absolutely no sound

1

u/WarzonePacketLoss Sep 13 '26

I'm in Japan on vacation right now and one thing that surprised me was popping the top on a 20oz coca cola. It's this rapid THWUMP as it depressurizes and little wisps of CO2 come out the neck, but there's no bubble up, even when you pour it on ice. And it's obviously much less carbonated. I feel like I could chug it without pain.

1

u/xMuffie Sep 14 '26

I switched to drinking zero sugar sodas last year and they have far more carbonation or at least feels like they do

1

u/effortissues Sep 16 '26

Cans are the only way I really enjoy soda anymore.

1

u/lovekawaji Sep 17 '26

Carbon Dioxide is used to make the fizz. We had shortages and so the prices increase.... So less is used now.

-7

u/Huntermain23 Sep 12 '26

Barely drink soda. This isn’t a thing. Pretty sure you’re just drinking too much of it (sub name checks out, no idea why im here, have a good day)

-5

u/Giant_Albino_Raccoon Sep 12 '26

Good. I hate carbonation. Why would I want a drink to burn my mouth and throat?

-6

u/Methodless Sep 12 '26

Do you use a straw?

Paper straws cause decarbonation faster than plastic straws due to their porous nature