Lilt brand scrapped after almost 50 years as drink given rebrand as new Fanta

Soft drink Lilt, known for its "totally tropical taste", is being scrapped and rebranded after 48 years.

The drink has been pulled from UK shelves and will be renamed Fanta Pineapple and Grapefruit, its owner the Coca-Cola Company has said.

The tangy drink was first launched in 1975 with the strapline “The Totally Tropical Taste” and was only sold in the UK, Ireland, Gibraltar and the Seychelles.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) confirmed the change in a statement and stressed the drink’s taste and ingredients would not change.

CCEP said: “Keen Lilt fans may have spotted a gradual transition as the drink has made its way into the Fanta family over the past few months, with changes to its packaging and logo.

“Some have even hypothesised on social media that Lilt may be becoming part of the Fanta brand, and one even went as far as producing their own news broadcast-style video.”

The firm’s GB vice-president of commercial development insisted the drink is the same and simply has a new name.

Martin Attock said: “Our main priority with this announcement is to reassure Lilt’s loyal fanbase that absolutely nothing has changed when it comes to the iconic taste of the drink they know and love. It’s still bursting with tangy tropical flavours, it’s just got itself a new name.”

Lilt became a feature of popular culture with its Lilt Man parody adverts in the late 1980s, while a decade later it was promoted by two Jamaican women known as the Lilt Ladies.

Coca-Cola reduced the number of calories, sugar and artificial sweeteners in the drink between 2008 and 2014 as part of efforts to make healthier products in response to the government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Coca Cola - which owns a host of different soft drink brands around the world, including Appletiser and Dr Pepper - said Lilt would no longer be sold under its current branding from 14 February. Instead, the rebranded bottles and cans under the Fanta name will gradually roll out across the UK from this date.

Fanta brand manager Charlotte Walsham said: "Our main priority with this announcement is to reassure Lilt’s loyal fan base that absolutely nothing has changed when it comes to the iconic taste of the drink they know and love. It’s just got itself a new name."