PepsiCo Files New Trademark Amid Trade War Pressures and Strategic Setbacks in Soda Market
Apr/21/2025
On April 17, PepsiCo filed a new figurative U.S. trademark 'STING' for its core beverage offerings — soft drinks, energy drinks, and concentrates, syrups, or powders - used in the preparation of both categories—marking a continued focus on its legacy brands even as shifting trade dynamics complicate its global supply chain. The filing comes at a turbulent time: decades-old tax advantages from producing concentrate in Ireland have been undercut by new U.S. tariffs, leaving Pepsi and Mountain Dew exposed to a 10% duty on most concentrate used in domestic sales. By contrast, Coca-Cola — which manufactures the bulk of its concentrate for the U.S. in Atlanta and Puerto Rico — has largely insulated itself from the same financial strain. PepsiCo’s bottlers, many of them independent and already grappling with shrinking market share, now face mounting costs amid trade tensions and a broader aluminum tariff. As Dr Pepper overtakes Pepsi as the second most popular soda in America, and with stiff competition from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo’s recent €166 million investment in Irish facilities underscores its long-term commitment to international production, but also its exposure to geopolitical risk. The following visualization shows design patterns of the new PepsiCo figurative trademark.
