Fact-Check: Claim by prominent cleric that ‘Pepsi’ stands for ‘Pay Every Penny to Save Israel’ is false and misleading

The Claim

In a video circulating on Facebook and other platforms, Mudir Markaz Sheikh Habeebullah Adam Al-Ilory claims that Pepsi’s acronym stands for “Pay Every Penny to Save Israel.” The video, shared on Facebook, implies that the beverage’s name or origin has ties to Israel. He adds that any penny spent on buying Pepsi products goes to Israel. This has generated heated discussion among followers and viewers, some of whom interpret it as a exposè.

Background

Pepsi is a globally recognized soft drink brand developed in the United States. It was created in the late 19th century during a wave of innovation among American pharmacists experimenting with fountain drinks.

The Findings

FactCheck247’s findings reveal that the claim made by Mudir Markaz Sheikh Habeebullah Adam Al-Ilory is false.

Pepsi was originally invented by Caleb Bradham, a white American pharmacist, in 1893 in New Bern, North Carolina. He initially named the drink “Brad’s Drink” before renaming it Pepsi-Cola in 1898.

The name was chosen with reference to dyspepsia (indigestion), which the drink was marketed to relieve. While some have speculated that the name derived from the enzyme pepsin, there is no evidence that pepsin was ever used in the formula.

Meanwhile, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. This is 55 years after Pepsi’s was renamed.

Also, there is no historical, corporate, or scholarly evidence linking the acronym to “Pay Every Penny to Save Israel,” including in all official documentation from PepsiCo, as well as independent encyclopedic and academic sources.

The Verdict

The claim made by Mudir Markaz that Pepsi’s acronym stands for “Pay Every Penny to Save Israel” is false and misleading.