Diet Coke passes Pepsi as No. 2 soda, but bigger news is falling soda sales

The media were abuzz Thursday with the news Diet Coke has passed Pepsi as the No. 2-selling soda in the U.S., although it still trails Coke by a substantial margin.

The bigger news, it seems to us, is that overall soda sales in this country fell. For the sixth straight year.

Sure, nutritionists say Americans still drink way too much soda – many would say any amount is too much – but the message apparently is getting through.

For the record, the 10 best-selling sodas in the U.S. this year:

1. Coke
2. Diet Coke
3. Pepsi-Cola
4. Mountain Dew
5. Dr Pepper
6. Sprite
7. Diet Pepsi
8. Diet Mountain Dew
9. Diet Dr Pepper
10. Fanta

Diet Coke passes Pepsi as No. 2 soda [AP]