var json_comments = new Array("
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bigd7387
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Wow another place I don't shop anyways. I shop Kroger, Giant Eagle and a local shop, never seen a reason to shop the Walley Worlds of the food business.

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19 replies
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dilbert69
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@bigd7387: @bigd7387: @valthun: Ralph's is Kroger, not Safeway. Vons is Safeway.

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mamalicious
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@bigd7387: The only coke product we buy there is the non-fructose corn syrup coke aka Mexicoke aka \"real\" Coke. Now it looks like we're going to have to find another place to purchase it.

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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@bigd7387: Costco has quality produce. i don't trust walmart's meats, produce, breads, cereals... i'll only trust canned things that can sit around for 10 years without going bad.

Also, costco has some high grade cuts of meat that cant be found elsewhere

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Megalomania
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@bigd7387: Costco has low prices by dint of selling bulk quantities to individual consumers, while Walmart makes its money by leveraging its massive size. Completely different strategies.

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nstonep
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387: Giant Eagle?!? Holy carp you must be from pittsburgh-hio-ginia

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Sanspants
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Pibbs: Did you go to law school at Costco too?

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dfens42
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Sanspants:



+ Watch video


At least he's not trying to check receipts...

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giggitygoo
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387:

Because Kroger is a Mom and Pop shop? Do you realize that Kroger is larger than Costco? (By 2009 sales, net income, and employees, anyways)

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nstonep
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@giggitygoo: Kroger owns: food 4 less and smith's (in the southwest)...they probably own a bunch of chains...kind of stupid to do all that acquisition without merging the name. Even then the store brand is KROGER not the respective store.

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valthun
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@nstonep: You can also get Kroger brands at Ralph's, which I believe is also Safeway. There is also another grocer that is just a Ralph's with a pretty face on it.

A lot of not changing the names out has to do with customer perception, they like going to their local whatever it is and don't want to see the name change every time there is a merger. However the store brands usually get paired down to one.

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Greasy Thumb Guzik
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@valthun:
Safeway is a separate company & has no connection to Kroger.
Safeway owns Von's, Dominick's, Genuardi's, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavilions & Carrs.
I got all the names off the bottom of a calendar they give out.

But I've never understood not renaming the stores. The Dominick's name is so trashed here in Chicago, no one understands why they kept it. Before Safeway decided to remodel the stores a couple of years ago, they were desperately trying to sell it off for about a quarter of what they paid for it! But Safeway had so wrecked it, nobody wanted it, even at a bargain price.

And the remodeled Dominick's look exactly like the Von's I've been in when I went to California.

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qwerty001984
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387:
They have much better prices.
I never used to shop at Walmart for food, but I priced out the items and everything at the local grocery chain was at least $1 more.


It was insane at how much more expensive the local stores were.

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YouDidWhatNow?
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@qwerty001984:


I have a really hard time shopping at W-M just on principal. They just might be the single largest factor, perhaps aside from union labor, that forces American jobs to be lost to foreign lands.


...on top of all the other fun stuff you read about them in the news.

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pecan 3.14159265
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387: The only Wal-Mart warehouse store is Sam's Club. You shop at Kroger, though, which is Wal-Mart owned.


Costco is a fantastic place.

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pecan 3.14159265
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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For the love of all that is holy, people, I GET IT. Kroger is not owned by Wal-Mart. Oy.

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Dooley
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265:

Come on now, don't you know that Kroger is not Walmart owned? LOL

But seriously how far do they reach?

We don't have any stand-alone Kroger stores here in L.A. but I belive that Ralph's is Kroger-owned, as is Food4Less

Where else does the Kroger arm reach?

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pecan 3.14159265
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: You just wait for that Friday shift. *narrows eyes*


Kidding!

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MostlyHarmless
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: {Insert politically incorrect and racially insensitive joke about you narrowing your eyes, and the associated stereotypes thereof. }

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pecan 3.14159265
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: *|INSERT_RANT_ABOUT_BIGOTRY|*


That's right people. *| is back.

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theblackdog
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: |*STATEMENT_THAT_BEST_FRIEND_IS_MINORITY_GROUP_MEMBER*|

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cc82
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265:
\"You shop at Kroger, though, which is Wal-Mart owned.\"

How do you figure that?

[en.wikipedia.org]

[money.cnn.com] (#2 and #22)

[www.thekrogerco.com]

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pot_roast
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: Incorrect. Kroger is NOT owned by Wal-Mart. Kroger is its own company, and they're a pretty big union company. Friend of mine is a butcher at one of their locations.

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DreamTheEndless: Death's little brother
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387: Costco is nothing like Wallmart et al.

They are socially responsible, environmentally responsible, good to their employees, and good for consumers.

They are a good company and you might be pleasantly surprised if you visited.

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consumerd
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@DreamTheEndless: Death's little brother:


Costco is nothing like Wallmart et al.

They are socially responsible, environmentally responsible, good to their employees, and good for consumers.

They are a good company and you might be pleasantly surprised if you visited.

I agree, I go to sams here in ofallon, IL and it's a joke at best. I wish we had a costco that was closer. It's always so crowded at the sams up there. Just getting in the parking lot of that store is a chore now.

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Smashville
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@consumerd: O'Fallon, IL. Because it's not East St. Louis :)

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rdm
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@bigd7387: I shop at Costco (and walmart) primarily because Kroger etc charge such humongous prices for their goods.

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lehrdude
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Who buys soda at Costco?


It's much cheaper to wait for it to go on sale at CVS/Walgreens every other week. I've belonged to these shopping clubs for years, and if I EVER bought soda from one of them, it was only because I NEEDED it in a super rush and didn't have time to make another stop.

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11 replies
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Smashville
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: Isn't there a bingo square for \"People still *|RANDOM_ACTIVITY|*?\"

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Aquasol
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: I buy it there-- soda in L.A. regularly hits about $5/case, Costco has the equivalent of two cases for under $10. Pepsi's the best deal there, with $36 for something like $8-$8.75.

You don't save much more on soda there, but hey, it all adds up. D:

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thehouserules
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: I make my own Pepsi at home.

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Rachacha
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: It is not just soda. This also impacts bottled water, sports drinks and carbonated water which typically are a good deal at the warehouse clubs.

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SarcasticDwarf
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: I believe some people buy it there because you can buy it in bulk quantities for resale. A sale at the grocery store generally has a limit of 4-6 cases.

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Quake 'n' Shake
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@lehrdude: For me, it's one of those, \"I'm here buying because I need to buy certain things, but I could use some soda too, so I'll pick some up\" deals.

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pecan 3.14159265
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@lehrdude: Because some of us don't stop by CVS every other week just to get soda. One trip to Costco and we're set for a month.

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ubermex
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@lehrdude: The sell mexicoke there. That's a big thing.

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ReverendLoki
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@ubermex: Not only do they sell mexicoke at our local Sam's Club, it's a significant discount over other places you can get it locally. Only in cases of glass bottles though, so not as cheap as 2 liters of kosher coke, but it's available year round.

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MikeHerbst
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@ubermex:

Yes, I will mourn the loss of easy-to-procure-Mexi-Coke.

Hey CocaCola: Bring back the sugar cokes! Call it \"RetroCoke\" if you have to, but many of us CAN taste the difference between sugar coke and HFCS coke!

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jeffbone
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MikeHerbst: ...but whatever you do, don't call it \"New New Coke\"...

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cecilpl
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MikeHerbst: Come to Canada, it's made with sugar up here too. Much better, mmm...

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dorianh49
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@MikeHerbst: Maybe they don't want to be seen as RetroSexual. Anyway, I'll miss Mexican Coca-Cola, but maybe they'll start carrying cases of bottled Pepsi Natural. That stuff is like ambrosia.

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treimel
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@lehrdude:


But now, if you \"NEED\" coke at Costco, you can't get it. I'd say that's pretty news-worthy.

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Jesse
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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I wonder if this will affect their food courts since I think all locations have Coke fountains.

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2 replies
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CaptainSemantics
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Jesse: I'm not sure, but I think those are two separate entities, business-wise. I think the folks that sell the syrup are very separated from the folks that bottle. Can anyone confirm?

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DasSavva
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@CaptainSemantics: I'm pretty sure they're separate. This diner I used to work for had Pepsi, and the guys who would come service the fountain and do the deliveries and stuff weren't Pepsi, but it was some partnership thing. I'm not 100% sure if it's the same for Coke, though.

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Coelacanth
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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I always frown upon an establishment that doesn't offer Coke products (and believes Pepsi is a suitable alternative.)


Then again, I rarely shop as Costco.

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5 replies
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qwerty001984
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@Coelacanth:
It pisses me off when stores offer Coke and not Pepsi.
Coke is so bitter. I think only smokers and coffee drinkers like coke since they have no taste buds anymore.


The only savior is some Coke only places sell Dr. Pepper, without that I would not go there.

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Kuchen
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@qwerty001984: I have never smoked, and I don't drink coffee, but I greatly prefer Coke to Pepsi. I will drink Diet Pepsi if I have to, but regular Pepsi is just too sweet.

@DreamTheEndless: Death's little brother: Totally agree, 7up is way better than all of the other lemon-lime sodas.

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RvLeshrac
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Kuchen:


Squirt is the best 'lemon' soda you can get in the US.


However, there are plenty of carbonated fruit drinks (most of them imported) that taste *FAR* better than anything else.

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ktjamm
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Kuchen: Well, there is something to be said about genetic defects as well...

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samspot
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@qwerty001984: That's pretty insightful, maybe I do like coke better because I like coffee. I think pepsi is too sweet, even though I do love North Carolina Sweet Tea.

I miss bojangles :(

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Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@Coelacanth: I disagree with you, I love Pepsi, but this debate would go on till the end of time :-)

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plim
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@Burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather: I'm with you. I frown upon establishments that only offer Coke products and thinks they're suitable alternative for Pepsi. =)

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hotdogsunrise
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@plim: I agree, but with the caveat that there is something very delicious about Cherry Coke.

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diasdiem
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@plim: You're all wrong. Dr Pepper all the way. Mr. Pibb is an abomination!

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DreamTheEndless: Death's little brother
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@diasdiem: 7up is where it's at. Sprite, Slice, Sierra Mist, etc. are NOT suitable substitutes. I end up drinking 1/2 Sprite and 1/2 carbonated water if I need a soda in a restaurant if 7up isn't available. (And 7up is never available...)

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diasdiem
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@samspot: Dr. Thunder, Mr. Pibb, the various store-brand equivalents... Pretenders and charlatans, all of them! There is only one true \"Most Original Soft Drink Ever!\"

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csparks
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@plim: I stopped eating at Wendy's when they started selling coke products.

Taco Bell/KFC/Long John Silvers/Arbys FTW

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coan_net
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@csparks: Well at one time PepsiCo owned Taco Bell, KFC & Long John Silvers - so places like McDonalds will NEVER serve Pepsi since in a round about way, it helps their competitors.

Of course PepsiCo spun off it's food brand into Yum.

And of course the other places serve whatever will give them the best deals.

... and it is funny, I stopped eating at Wendy's as much also when I could not get my Mountain Dew anymore. I do occasionally, but now will pass that to go to Taco Bell since I know they have my Dew.

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csparks
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@coan_net: Yeah, and I believe I read on wikipedia that Yum has a lifetime agreement to serve Pepsi Products, which is awesome, at least I know where to go if I want a Pepsi (which is pretty much all the time, if I am not drinking coffee or smoking!)

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gfonner
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@coan_net: The McDonalds in College Park, Maryland serves Pepsi.

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PsiCop
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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I have NEVER bought soda in a warehouse club. Their prices are ALWAYS higher than when supermarkets run sales. And while the supermarkets don't run soda sales nearly as often as they used to, they still happen often enough that I can get 12-packs for $2.50 a piece or full cases for $5.00 or even less, as often as I need.

Just the other day I stocked up at that price, and now have enough soda stockpiled for a couple of months.

I don't know why the warehouse clubs have so staunchly refused to be competitive in soda pricing, but that's how they've been operating as long as I've been going to them (and that's over 2 decades now).

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9 replies
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dilbert69
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@PsiCop: If you have to worry about the price of soda, you're probably drinking way too much soda. Try tap water. Free, and good for you.

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Keavy_Rain
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@PsiCop: In CA, I can get a 36 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper for $10 at Costco, or I can get two 24 packs on sale at Wal-Mart for $12.

I stock up when its on sale, which is about once a month at the Super Wal-Mart down the road from me.

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bishophicks
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@PsiCop:


I agree. I shop at a warehouse club regularly and never by soda there. I buy it during big sales at the Stop and Shop next door. $2.00 - 2.50 per 12-pack is about as low as I've ever seen it. Buy a bunch around Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas when the sales are best. I'm glad Thanksgiving is coming. The stack of 12-packs in my basement is dwindling.

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Xay
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@PsiCop: I think this would impact their syrup sales more than canned and bottled drinks.

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missdona
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@PsiCop: I can routinely get 5 12-packs for $10 over the summer.

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PsiCop
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@missdona: I've been able to get that occasionally but here in CT, $2.50 for a 12-pack appears to be the \"bottom\" price. It goes under that only rarely.

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missdona
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@PsiCop: It was a pleasant surprise when I moved to Jersey. Food Town, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop-- any given one will have a deal like that during the summer.

One of the few upsides of Jersey. That and cheap gas that you don't have to pump.

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Jesse
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@PsiCop:

Supermarkets can afford to price soda as they can because margins on other items are quite a bit higher. Soda is often used as a loss leader in order get people in the store.

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dilbert69
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Jesse: Exactly. Costco doesn't do loss leaders.

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scoosdad
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Jesse: Exactly what I was going to say. Supermarkets all need those \"loss leaders\" to draw people into their stores and hopefully they'll buy something else more profitable while they're there. Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club, et al, don't generally use the loss leader technique, nor do they need to, apparently.

But $5 for a 12 pack of Coke products as the regular price in Shaw's? I don't think so. $3 is my limit in the supermarket. I can usually get better Coke product pricing at my local self serve gas station.

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scoosdad
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@DerangedRoleModel: Hess is indeed the one I patronize, but at this time of year I worry that their stock has been exposed to freezing temperatures and may be bad. Even when the can doesn't break open, it just doesn't taste the same after being frozen and thawed out again.

Same in the summertime when it gets hot outside. Extreme heat does a number on the artificial sweetner in Diet Coke, for example.

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Randomeis
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Glass bottled Cokes are about the only Warehouse Sodas worth buying in bulk. That goes double if they can get the sugar cane ones from south of the border.

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4 replies
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kaceetheconsumer
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Randomeis: Yup, the only Coke we buy there is the Mexican stuff with the actual sugar, because my husband doesn't like the corn syrup stuff (having grown up with actual sugar stuff in Oz). I only drink diet Sprite and only occasionally, and they don't ever carry that.

But I do generally buy my husband a case of the Mexican Coke for Christmas so they'd better resolve it by mid-December or I won't bother...

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LastError
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@kaceetheconsumer: Agreed. The only Coke worth drinking are the ones from Mexico made with real sugar. They simply taste SO MUCH better than the corn syrup Cokes. To hell with the fake CornCokes. Coke should be ashamed that they even make that crap. Awful.

The Mexicokes takes like the ones I got when I was a kid, except unlike most childhood memories, this one is still real and drinkable and THERE. It's the real thing. Everything else is crap.

Yes, I have tried the Mexican sugar Pepsi and it's good but not as good as the Mexicokes.

Anyway, GO COSTCO! Stick it to them!

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MikeHerbst
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@Randomeis:
Which is the only Coke product I ever buy at Costco, and whenever I shopped there, I always got a couple of pallets worth...

This is sad news for me.

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GearheadGeek
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MikeHerbst: Pallets?! Do you have a forklift in your pantry?

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MikeHerbst
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@GearheadGeek:

I guess the proper name is \"flats\". The cardboard tray with like 30 or 36 bottles all shrink-wrapped together...

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plim
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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While I normally hunt local supermarkets for the 4/$10 or the occasional 5/$10-12 sale, they are becoming far less frequent in my area (northern nj), so i don't mind dropping $9 for a 36 pack at costco. better than paying normal price ($4.50 for a 12 pack) when they're not on sale.


the latest sale tactic? 2/$9 what a ripoff!

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2 replies
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palfas
November 23, 2009 5:31 PM
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@plim: My thoughts exactly. The target by me always has Coke on sale, but never Pepsi, so I'm happy to pay 9$ for a 36 pack at the warehouse stores.

Thank goodness they didn't decide to stop stocking Pepsi though, I couldn't stand drinking another Mellow Yellow, it's just not the same as Dew.

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Starfury
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@plim:

We only buy soda when it's on sale for $3/12 or $6/24 or cheaper. The local stores have it on sale at least once a month so we stock up. If the price went up a lot we'd just quit drinking it.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Hmm. I am surprised, given Consumerist's somewhat irreverent style, that this article was not tagged \"Welcome to Costco; I love you.\"

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6 replies
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nightsodark
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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I shop at Costco nearly exclusively. I don't like having to jump through hoops to get deals nor am I impressed with buy ten items and get a coupon off your next purchase nonsense. Both are games that grocery stores play.

That said, when I come to expect to find certain items at Costco and have done so for years and then they stop carrying it because the manufacturer raised the price and Costco \"wants to give the consumer the best deal\" annoys me to no end. Last week is was the kitty litter I've been purchasing for over a year...and the cheaper kind to boot.

My boyfriend likes to get Coke on occasion and he really liked that Costco carried the kind that uses sugar instead of HFCS...he's gonna be bummed.

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brandymb
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@nightsodark: Every single time Costco gets in a sparkling water drink I like, after I buy it about twice, they discontinue it. Grrrr.

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CyGuy
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@nightsodark: I wonder if the real sugar Coke is going to be affected in that it is imported from Mexico and not purchased from a US bottler. The one problem I could see is that customers looking to buy regular US Coke in cans will have to buy the real sugar bottles and they will sell out rapidly every time they get a shipment.

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jaya9581
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@nightsodark: I wouldn't call it \"nonsense\" just because you don't understand how to do it. Last week I got hundreds of dollars of name-brand products at the grocery store for less than $20 out of my own pocket, and still had $43 in coupons off my next purchase.

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diasdiem
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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It's a shame. I'd like to buy the world a Coke, but I can only afford it at bulk pricing.

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2 replies
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SacraBos
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@diasdiem: You can at least keep it company...

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MrGutts
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@diasdiem: I think that is the main problem that Costco is having. It's not really a good deal to buy it from Costco at bulk and Costco knows that.

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pdxazn
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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The soda price at Costco is too high. I never brought from them.

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calittle
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Just another reason to stop drinking soda altogether (he says, as he eyes his open Diet Coke can next to the laptop).

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nstonep
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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@calittle: diet coke is not so@WatchOutNow:

Can't the consumerist get an article about the rise and fall of brands like RC cola and schlitz beer?!? Oooh...and something about burples!

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WatchOutNow
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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Please no harsh criticisms of Coca_Cola, CostCo or (don't even think about it!) CONSUMERIST, there is only sooo much 6 people can do to keep you informed/entertained.

Cheers

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ToddMU03
November 18, 2009 4:52 PM
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It's pop, not soda.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@ToddMU03: Pop is a kind of music, not a type of drink. The type of product that is the topic of this article is properly referred to as malted battery acid.

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shepd
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@ToddMU03:

It's neither, they're soft drinks. So say all the menus in Southern Ontario.

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GearheadGeek
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@ToddMU03: Unless you're in Texas, where it's often referred to as coke (small C) no matter what flavor or brand.

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psm321
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: @Smashville_now with Monster Energy: It is most definitely pop. Not soda or the generic coke. //recalls having a holy war in the dorms over this

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hotdogsunrise
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@psm321: Ready?


Soda Pop is the full name of this beverage. \"Pop\" is the last name. Therefore, you should refer to soda as Mr. Pop.


I like to call him by his first name, soda.


(Okay, so it might not be the best logic, but that's what I'm sticking with!)

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psm321
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@hotdogsunrise: That's infidel logic based on a false premise :-P

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hotdogsunrise
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@psm321: But clever, right? Am I right?


I live about a half hour away from those who think much like you and call soda \"pop\". I've also had many battles on this. Let's agree to disagree.


(But I'm right.)

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Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@hotdogsunrise: Around my neck of the woods (IE North East England) it's called pop. Ask for soda and you get carbonated water.

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Smashville
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@psm321: Pop is what you call your grandfather or the sound that a gun makes. It is by no means a drink.

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Smashville
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: I'm fairly certain in this case it is definitely Coke.


But it's not fucking pop.

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Shadowman615
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Will they still sell Pepsi products? Or no soda altogether?

I do get soda from costco, since we go through it pretty quick. Diet-types only anymore. Yes we know some people think artificial sweeteners are bad. I don't care, I just don't want all the sugar.

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billy
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@PsiCop: I think all that stuff about sweeteners is fine and stuff, but I thought the responses would certainly point out that the question \"Will they still sell Pepsi products? Or no soda altogether?\" was answered in the first line of the post.

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jayphat
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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In my previous job with Wally World, be actually removed every last piece of coke from the store because they failed to keep it stocked and we got tired of complaints. It didn't last long as one of their sernior VP's flew in and had a one-on-one with us where he kissed some major ass and told us there would be changes to how we were being stocked.


The changes were a simple fix. Don't pay a stocker to come to the store and sit and talk for 2 hours.

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itsnotbecca
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@jayphat:

I hate the way Coke sales reps act! It's like they are always playing chicken...I mean, what are you going to do, not sell Coke?

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Quake 'n' Shake
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@jayphat: Do you mean that the Coca-Cola distributors stock their own product in stores?

I guess that makes sense. I've seen the \"soda guy\" stocking at supermarkets before, but never gave it much thought.

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heart.shaped.rock
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Quake 'n' Shake: Not only do the beverage vendors have to stock their own products at the stores, WalMart has just started requiring the vending companies who own the machines outside the store to stock the Sam's Club machines, as well. The vending companies have to purchase the Sam's Club pop from the store itself, and then stock the machines. The next step is that the Coke and Pepsi stockers will have to stock the generic brand on the shelves, too.

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csparks
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Quake 'n' Shake: I just watched a show on Coca Cola....

A guy had a idea to bottle coke, and the then owner, said sure and gave him the rights to bottle it for $1. Coke has ever since regretted that decision.

Not sure if that has something to do with the whole stocking issue, but it is interesting.

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mmmsoap
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Quake 'n' Shake: Yup, the \"soda guy\" and the \"bread guy\", which I frankly have never understood. Why do those products get stocked by reps, but all others by store employees? When working in a supermarket as a teen, and now shopping as an adult, I see quite a few people go to them for help only to be given \"Sorry, I don't work here\" as a response. That leaves the customer usually baffled if not outright insulted, particularly since their assumption was pretty reasonable.

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secret_curse
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@mmmsoap: I think it's because those products are made at a factory relatively close to the store which has its own delivery network. The soda and bread companies want to make sure their product is fresh on the store shelves and the best way to make that happen is to deliver it yourself.

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LastError
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@secret_curse: Sorry, no. It has nothing to do with factories or delivery networks.

The outside companies who stock their own shelves do so because they are leasing the shelf space. Part of the lease arrangement mandates that they come in and stock their own shelves with their own products. They send out drivers who do nothing else but go from store to store and stock and \"face\" product all day.

Coke, Pepsi, bread vendors, beer, Frito Lay and some other chip/snack companies, magazine, and greeting card companies do this routinely. Newspapers in most areas. Others sometimes include candy companies, flashlight batteries, occasionally pet foods and laundry products, and DVDs. It varies.

But they do it because they are leasing the space and they HAVE to come in and stock it themselves. If they do

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Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@LastError: Yup. I used to work for a jewellery concession in the UK and I was forever being told by my manager to refer people to store staff because I didn't have time to be helping customers beyond \"the changing room is over there\".

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jeffbone
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@secret_curse: I'm sure it has nothing to do with competitive product placement, right? ;-)

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CaptainSemantics
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Pfft. I grow my own soda at home...

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Smashville
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@CaptainSemantics: \"Lisa, I made you some homemade Pepsi for your dance.\"

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iron_chef
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Meh. No big loss. It's not like Coke can't be bought elsewhere.

If coke won't play nice with prices, they don't deserve to be in Costco. It's practically all Kirkland stuff anyways.

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xDibbler
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@iron_chef: Is it all Kirkland anymore? I've considered switching from Sam's Club to Costco because I'm sick of everything slowly changing from a name brand product to \"Members Mark\". If Costco is doing the same thing I might as well stay where I am. ...and the only soda that Sams sells cheap is usually IBC Root Beer or occasionally they might have Jones Soda for a good price.

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katia802
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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In my area, they used to sell cases of Kirkland soda. The kids loved it, and much cheaper than buying cases of soda at the store. if Costco doesn't sell Coke products, I'll just buy my diet coke somewhere else, not a biggie, certainly not a reason to stop shopping at Costco for me. I don't have a car, when I get a ride to Costco, I buy for about a month for the family, save all those very rough bus trips with carts and backpacks of groceries.

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mmmsoap
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@katia802: I love the Kirkland products. For a \"generic\" they're pretty darn good.

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Aldi for the win!

But seriously, purchasing sugar water in general is a waste of money.

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Taint_Too_Proud_To_Beg
November 23, 2009 5:31 PM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese has 2 cats! ahahaha.: I would agree with you if my homemade sugar water tasted even remotely like Coke. If anyone has a recipe for homemade Coke, bring it on.

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Traveshamockery
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese has 2 cats! ahahaha.: I MAKE MY OWN SUGAR WATER AT HOME. ANYONE WHO DOESN'T BOWS AT THE ALTAR OF THE MAN!

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settsu
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Damn, you people drink a lot of soda. We're talking about carbonated brown water with a corn-based sweetener here.

I hope, for the sake of some people's lives, this event stretches out for weeks.

*Cue sarcastic/indignant comments*

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babyruthless
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Man, all of these comparison prices for soda makes me glad we barely drink the stuff. A place I volunteer at has a $0.25 coke machine (Coca-Cola donates the soda, and they sell it as a small fundraiser.) I buy 4 cans a week, which we drink mainly mixed with rum (Sprite and Rum is the favorite--a Santo Libre). I've decided that my consumption of sodas is like a gas--it will expand to fill the parameters I give it. If we have a 12-pack, we'll drink that in a week. If we have 4 sodas, we'll drink that in a week. If we have none, we almost never go make a special run to get them.

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djkatscan
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Not Costco that I ever went to has ever carried Full Throttle drinks. I would have actually gone there if they did.

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gingerCE
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Does anyone know if the ban includes the food court? I like mixing diet coke and sprite. I don't buy Coke products to drink at home but when \"eating out\" at places that have fountain drinks, I like to make my mix--Pepsi doesn't taste the same. I hope they leave Coke products in the food court.

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justjoe
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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The whole reason Costco & Sam's Club never really bother offering Coke (and Pepsi for that matter) at lower prices is that they offer it for their C-Store, vending, and restaurant customers. I used to work for Sam's Club and we had several members buy it by the pallet. We were able to sell a quantity that was manageable to them since the bottlers typically won't sell 15 cases to someone.


I guess in this case Coke is jacking up the price, so Costco is playing \"who's is bigger\". The members who complain enough will get those products back.


As for the average consumers... The prices are too high. Better \"deals\" at whatever supermarket you are shopping at.

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CompyPaq
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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I used to do some vending machine sales. It was cheaper to buy soda wholesale from Costco than from Coke. It was probably also a breach of contract, but Coke never complained that we weren't making enough orders.

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forgottenpassword
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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we used to have coke at our workplace, but cocoa cola demanded that we buy a certain amount every month or we couldnt buy directly from them anymore. So we dropped them & bought from local stores who sold it (sams club)

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gerrycomo
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Coca-Cola always had a slight caramel aftertaste compared to Pepsi, to which I prefer. But the best soda pop are the RW Knudsen Spritzers.

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WEGGLES90
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Ban isn't the right word. They've stopped selling it... they haven't banned it. It seems like they're working it out.

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MooseOfReason
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Coca Cola also owns Minute Maid orange juice.

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MrEvil
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Squirt is not owned by Coca Cola last I checked. It is owned by the same folks that own RC Cola, A&W, and 7Up. It's just that whatever Coke bottler sells to Costco has a distribution agreement with Coke. What brands a given Coca Cola bottler carries varies throughout the country.

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MooseOfReason
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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@MrEvil: True. It's owned by the \"Dr. Pepper Snapple Group\" (thumbs-up to that name, by the way).

[www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com]

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thrashanddestroy
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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Oh crap, looks like I'll have to buy a case of that Mexican Coca-Cola next time I work otherwise I'll be screwed out of tasting the sweet memories of my childhood.

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D2daizon
November 18, 2009 4:53 PM
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I'm not surprised at Cokes action here. They have been steadily letting Mom and Pop diners switch over to Pepsi basically because they want to cut their labor costs for delivery drivers. Evidently it's cheaper not to deliver to low volume customers or in their case charge a rather large delivery fee. They are such a dominate player world-wide it's difficult to show growth to investors. Which of course is all Wall Street is ever concerned about, otherwise they flee your stock like all the money has been made. I think Coke must be trying to increase their profits threw price increases, I barely ever see 12-pack cans for less then $3. They probably want to reduce Costco's buying power with them, obviously Costco isn't going to budge, they sell A LOT of Coke.

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