Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Vive Cola original ultra-processed?

Colas Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Vive Cola original

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 18 ingredients
  • 3 additives

Less processed colas

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

carbonated cola flavour soft drink with sugar, sweeteners, ingredients, Carbonated Water, Sugar, Sulphite Ammonia Carame, Phosphoric Acidi, Havourings (contains Caffeine), Acesulfame K, Aspartame, Potassium Sorbate, caution (Pressurised container), Please unscrew gently, keeping hand over cap, until pressure is released, warning

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E950 Acesulfame k , E951 Aspartame

As written on the pack

CARBONATED COLA FLAVOUR SOFT DRINK WITH SUGAR AND SWEETENERS INGREDIENTS Carbonated Water, Sugar, Colour: Sulphite Ammonia Carame; Acid: Phosphoric Acidi; Havourings (contains Caffeine), Sweeteners: Acesulfame K, Aspartame; Preservative: Potassium Sorbate. CAUTION: Pressurised container - Please unscrew gently, keeping hand over cap, until pressure is released. DIETARY ADVICE: Suitable for vegetarians. WARNING: Contains a source of phenylalanine. No artificial flavourings.

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E951 Aspartame Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, used in diet drinks and sugar-free products.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
3 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Sodas Products in the category "Sodas" are at least group 3.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 142 colas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 41st. 99% of the colas here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 142 colas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4088600276229, last edited 5 September 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.