PURCHASE, N.Y. -- Pepsi is rolling out a new shape for its 20-ounce bottle for the first time in about 17 years.
The new bottle has a contoured bottom half that appears easier to grip, and the wraparound label is shorter so that more of the drink is exposed. The change follows a number of splashy moves in the past year by PepsiCo to improve results for its namesake soda, including a multiyear deal to sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show and a wide-ranging deal with pop star Beyonce, according to an Associated Press report.
Despite PepsiCo's stepped up efforts, its beverage volume in North America declined by 4% last year, according to the report. That included a 4% decline in carbonated soft drinks and a 3% decline in non-carbonated drinks, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
PepsiCo Inc., based in Purchase, N.Y., has been working to revitalize the brand after losing market share to Coca-Cola Co. in recent years.
Andrea Foote, a PepsiCo spokeswoman, said the new 20-ounce bottle is part of the company's ongoing update of marketing and packaging materials for the cola. The single-serve bottles will begin rolling out in April. The new shape will also be used for the 16-ounce bottles, as well as Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Pepsi Next.
Foote said it will take a year or two before the new bottles entirely replace the current bottles, which she said were introduced in 1996.
PepsiCo makes a wide range of products, including Frito-Lay chips, Gatorade, Quaker Oats and Tropicana.
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