Coke or Pepsi, which do people prefer? We may now have an answer. For the first time, Pepsi (NYSE: PEP) has unseated Diet Coke (NYSE: KO) as the number two carbonated beverage in the United States as per a study conducted by Beverage Digest, according to Yahoo Finance. According to Yahoo, soda sales are down this year yet again, contributing to the overall sales decline of sugary carbonated beverages over the past 10 years. “The big companies are trying to kind of segment this market-- into 'OK, you don’t like the traditional calorie-free sweeteners because you think they’re bad for you. How about some of the more natural seeming sweeteners? You have the kind of Coke Life and all these other things…that basically are responding, to really the latest thinking or the latest fad in terms of what’s healthier, better or worse for you,” Yahoo analyst Michael Santoli said. Regular, tried and true Coke still reigns in first place, Yahoo reported. Yahoo commented William said: My doctor said stay away from all the diet sodas. They are worse for you than the regular ones. Also, Coke and Pepsi prices here have increased quite a bit recently. They are now more than twice the cost of the store brand and the store brand tastes almost as good.