PepsiCo Inc.: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

Certain jurisdictions in which our products are sold have either imposed, or are considering imposing, new or increased taxes on the manufacture, distribution or sale of certain of our beverage products as a result of ingredients contained in such products. These taxes vary in scope and form: some apply to all beverages, including non-caloric beverages, while others apply only to beverages with a caloric sweetener (e.g., sugar). Similarly, some measures apply a single tax rate per ounce/liter on beverages containing over a certain amount of added sugar (or other sweetener), some apply a graduated tax rate depending upon the amount of added sugar (or other sweetener) in the beverage and others apply a flat tax rate on beverages containing any amount of added sugar (or other sweetener). For example, Mexico recently enacted an increase to its existing flat tax on all sweetened beverages, effective January 1, 2026, from a rate of approximately $0.09 (1.64 Mexican pesos) to a rate of approximately $0.17 (3.08 Mexican pesos) per liter. In addition, certain jurisdictions in which our snack products are sold, have either imposed, or are considering imposing, new or increased taxes on the manufacture, distribution or sale of certain of our snack products as a result of ingredients (such as sugar, sodium or saturated fat) contained in such products. These tax measures, whatever their scope or form, have in the past increased and could continue 21 21 21 Table of Contents Table of Contents to increase the cost of certain of our products, reduce overall consumption of our products or lead to negative publicity, resulting in an adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

Certain jurisdictions in which our products are sold have either imposed, or are considering imposing, new or increased taxes on the manufacture, distribution or sale of certain of our beverage products as a result of ingredients contained in such products. These taxes vary in scope and form: some apply to all beverages, including non-caloric beverages, while others apply only to beverages with a caloric sweetener (e.g., sugar). Similarly, some measures apply a single tax rate per ounce/liter on beverages containing over a certain amount of added sugar (or other sweetener), some apply a graduated tax rate depending upon the amount of added sugar (or other sweetener) in the beverage and others apply a flat tax rate on beverages containing any amount of added sugar (or other sweetener). For example, Italy enacted a flat tax on all non-alcoholic beverages, effective July 1, 2025, at a rate of 0.10 Euro (0.11 U.S. dollars) per liter for drinks with a sweetener content higher than 25g per liter. In addition, certain jurisdictions in which our snack products are sold, have either imposed, or are considering imposing, new or increased taxes on the manufacture, distribution or sale of certain of our snack products as a result of ingredients (such as sugar, sodium or saturated fat) contained in such products. These tax measures, whatever their scope or form, have in the past and could continue to increase the cost of certain of our products, reduce overall consumption of our products or lead to negative publicity, resulting in an adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

We and our subsidiaries have been, and in the future may be, party to a variety of litigation, claims, legal or regulatory proceedings, inquiries and investigations, including but not limited to matters related to our advertising, marketing or commercial practices, product labels, claims and ingredients, processing, food safety, personal injury, property damage, intellectual property rights, privacy, employment, tax and insurance matters, environmental, social and governance matters, including concerns or perceptions regarding our packaging and its environmental impact, the efficacy of recycling, our sustainability goals and our workforce policies and initiatives, shareholder-initiated actions, and matters relating to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations. For example, as a global food and beverage company, we are subject to increased regulatory scrutiny and face legal challenges in a variety of jurisdictions concerning alleged health implications associated with consumption of certain of our food products, our development or marketing of those products and/or the alleged environmental impact of the packaging used for certain of our products. These matters are inherently uncertain and there is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves or that our assessment of the materiality of these matters and the likely outcome or potential losses and established reserves will be consistent with the ultimate outcome of such matters. Responding to these matters, even those that are ultimately non-meritorious, requires us to incur significant expense and devote significant resources, and may generate adverse publicity that damages our reputation or brand image. Any of the foregoing can adversely affect our business.

We and our subsidiaries have been, and in the future may be, party to a variety of litigation, claims, legal or regulatory proceedings, inquiries and investigations, including but not limited to matters related to our advertising, marketing or commercial practices, product labels, claims and ingredients, food safety, personal injury, property damage, intellectual property rights, privacy, employment, tax and insurance matters, environmental, social and governance matters, including concerns or perceptions regarding our packaging and its environmental impact, the efficacy of recycling, our packaging sustainability goals and our workforce policies and initiatives, and matters relating to our compliance with applicable laws and regulations. These matters are inherently uncertain and there is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves or that our assessment of the materiality of these matters and the likely outcome or potential losses and established reserves will be consistent with the ultimate outcome of such matters. Responding to these matters, even those that are ultimately non-meritorious, requires us to incur 25 25 25 Table of Contents Table of Contents significant expense and devote significant resources, and may generate adverse publicity that damages our reputation or brand image. Any of the foregoing can adversely affect our business.

Certain jurisdictions in which our products are sold have either imposed, or are considering imposing, limitations on the marketing or sale of our products as a result of ingredients or substances in our products or certain product attributes or packaging. These limitations require that we highlight perceived concerns about a product or product packaging, warn consumers to avoid consumption of certain ingredients or substances present in our products, restrict the age of consumers to whom products are marketed or sold (including bans on advertising during children’s TV programs), limit the location in which our products may be available (including limits on the sale of our products in public schools) or discontinue the use of certain ingredients or packaging. For example, in 2025, the state of Texas passed a law, effective January 1, 2027, requiring warning labels on products containing certain ingredients, including artificial colors. Certain jurisdictions have imposed or are considering imposing color-coded labeling requirements where colors such as red, yellow and green are used to indicate various levels of a particular ingredient, such as sugar, sodium or saturated fat, in products, and other jurisdictions, including the United States, have imposed or are considering imposing restrictions on so-called “ultra-processed” foods. The imposition or proposed imposition of additional limitations on the marketing or sale of our products has in the past reduced and could continue to reduce overall consumption of our products, lead to negative publicity or leave consumers with the perception that our products do not meet their health and wellness needs, resulting in an adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

Certain jurisdictions in which our products are sold have either imposed, or are considering imposing, limitations on the marketing or sale of our products as a result of ingredients or substances in our products or product packaging. These limitations require that we highlight perceived concerns about a product or product packaging, warn consumers to avoid consumption of certain ingredients or substances present in 22 22 22 Table of Contents Table of Contents our products, restrict the age of consumers to whom products are marketed or sold (including bans on advertising during children’s TV programs), limit the location in which our products may be available (including limits on the sale of our products in public schools) or discontinue the use of certain ingredients or packaging. For example, in 2023 the U.K. restricted promotion and in-store placement of high in fat, sugar or salt products and in 2024, the state of California enacted a regulation banning artificial colors in products sold in K-12 public schools effective in 2027. Certain jurisdictions have imposed or are considering imposing color-coded labeling requirements where colors such as red, yellow and green are used to indicate various levels of a particular ingredient, such as sugar, sodium or saturated fat, in products, and other jurisdictions, including the U.S., are evaluating restrictions on “ultra-processed” foods. The imposition or proposed imposition of additional limitations on the marketing or sale of our products has in the past reduced and could continue to reduce overall consumption of our products, lead to negative publicity or leave consumers with the perception that our products do not meet their health and wellness needs, resulting in an adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

The retail landscape continues to evolve, including continued growth in e-commerce channels and hard discounters. Our business will be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain and develop successful relationships with e-commerce retailers and hard discounters, while also maintaining relationships with our key customers operating in traditional retail channels (many of whom are also focused on increasing their e-commerce sales). Our business can be adversely affected if e-commerce channels and hard discounters take significant additional market share away from traditional retailers or we fail to find ways to create increasingly better digital tools and capabilities for our retail customers to enable them to grow their businesses. In addition, our business can be adversely affected if we are unable to profitably expand direct-to-consumer e-commerce capabilities. Changing dynamics at the retail level have also impacted and may continue to impact our ability to grow in certain jurisdictions. In this changing retail landscape, retailers and buying groups are shifting traditional value propositions, removing our products or otherwise reducing shelf space allocated to our products and focusing on introducing and developing private-label brands. These changing conditions may also adversely impact how our customers compete in the markets in which they operate, which may in turn affect purchasing patterns of our products. Further, we must maintain mutually beneficial relationships with our key customers to compete effectively. A change in the business conditions (financial or otherwise) of any of our key customers, even if unrelated to us, a significant reduction in sales to any key customer, or the loss of any of our key customers has adversely affected and can continue to adversely affect our business.

The retail landscape continues to evolve, including continued growth in e-commerce channels and hard discounters. Our business will be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain and develop successful relationships with e-commerce retailers and hard discounters, while also maintaining relationships with our key customers operating in traditional retail channels (many of whom are also focused on increasing their e-commerce sales). Our business can be adversely affected if e-commerce channels and hard discounters take significant additional market share away from traditional retailers or we fail to find ways to create increasingly better digital tools and capabilities for our retail customers to enable them to grow their businesses. In addition, our business can be adversely affected if we are unable to profitably expand our own direct-to-consumer e-commerce capabilities. The retail industry is also impacted by the actions and increasing power of retailers, including as a result of increased consolidation of ownership resulting in large retailers or buying groups with increased purchasing power, particularly in North America, Europe and Latin America. In this changing retail landscape, retailers and buying groups have impacted and may continue to impact our ability to compete in these jurisdictions by demanding lower prices or increased promotional programs, removing our products or otherwise reducing shelf space allocated to our products and focusing on introducing and developing private-label brands. The increasing power of retailers and consolidation may also adversely impact our other customers’ ability to compete effectively in the market in which they operate, which may in turn affect orders of our products. Further, we must maintain mutually beneficial relationships with our key customers to compete effectively. Our inability to resolve a significant dispute with any of our key customers, a change in the business condition (financial or otherwise) of any of our key customers, even if unrelated to us, a significant reduction in sales to any key customer, or the loss of any of our key customers has adversely affected and can continue to adversely affect our business.