A new low from Coke Last November Mr. Tidbit noted the arrival of twin-packs of 50-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola products selling for something like 45 percent more per ounce than 2-liter (67.6-ounce) bottles. He summed up his reaction by asking "How dumb do they think we are?"
Mr. Tidbit must, sadly, ask that question again now that Coke has introduced eight-packs of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite and Fanta in 7.5-ounce cans. The marketing apparently will focus somehow on this almost-8 ounces being a more sensible serving (than the 12-ounce can) -- that this smaller can is, in effect, a weight-loss product.
In any case it is another high-price product. At the store where he saw them, the eight-packs were on special for $3.18, "regular $4.08." At that store, two-liter bottles of Coke products (almost always sold at a "special" price, often as low as $1.25) were $1.69, "regular $1.89," and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans (144 ounces) were $4.59, "regular $4.79."
At the "special" prices he saw posted, Coke in the new eight-packs of small cans would cost 5.3 cents an ounce -- an unbelievable 112 percent more per ounce than 2-liter bottles and 66 percent more per ounce than 12-packs of 12-ounce cans. (At those prices, if you like the idea of the smaller serving, it would be slightly cheaper to buy the 12-ounce cans and pour 41/2 ounces of each down the sink.)
And if you believe the "regular" prices, it's even worse: Coke in the eight-packs of new small cans would cost 6.8 cents an ounce -- a staggering 143 percent more per ounce than 2-liter bottles and 104 percent more per ounce than 12-packs of 12-ounce cans. At those prices, getting 71/2 -ounce servings by buying 12-ounce cans and pouring 41/2 ounces of each down the sink would actually be $1.33 cheaper!
Once again: How dumb do they think we are?
