BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke

Subject: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,ray padgett
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 04:10 AM

I feel that in todays climate where alcohol and driving and cost of soft drinks more and more expensive that a detailed look and curbing of these excessive costs needs a pressure group

I do feel pegging coke to cost of a pint of beer ridiculus

I paid £3 pint for Coke in a very ordinary pub last week I am appalled!!

Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 04:54 AM

Same thing in the U.S., Ray - at most places. There are some enlightened places here that give free non-alcoholic drinks to the "designated driver," the one in the group who is chosen to stay sober to drive home.
But hey, now that I'm over 55, I can get a senior coffee or soft drink at McDonald's for fifty cents. Trouble is, with the color of my hair being what it is, the kids behind the counter at McDonald's have been giving me a senior discount, unrequested, since I was 44. And now they call me "sir."
But at the fancy places, the non-alcoholic drinks often cost the same as the alcoholic ones.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 06:31 AM

I know that these drinks, particularly from the machine, cost about a penny a glass to produce. When my son ran a pub he would tell me that a much better profit could be made from the soft drinks than from alcohol, and it was almost all profit as there was no extra tax on them.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 06:45 AM

We even had cases a few years back were management of fancy bars would tinker with taps in toilets so young folks couldn't drink from them, or refill water bottles, & so were forced to buy bottled water (very expensive).

I don't know prices of alcoholic drinks but I pay between $2.80 & $3.80 for sparkling mineral water in pubs.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 06:59 AM

A few years back , one of the lads on our canal trip was asked TWO POUNDS for a glass of Orange Cordial and Tap Water !!

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Folkiedave
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 07:36 AM

Ray, I live near you - name the pub so I can avoid it!!

I am not sure what the way around this is. It seems one of those occasions when they have you by the short and curlies. I usually drink tonic water as sort of best value - or a virgin mary if they have all the makings, celery salt, Tabasco and Henderson's Relish. (with s tick of celery too - but I can pass on that).

I have just stopped spending money in pubs locally.

I simply drink at home more.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,the dot
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 07:42 AM

You think people would be more concerned about the high cost of good, nutritious foods than the high cost of a soft drink in a pub.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 08:00 AM

One reason I seldom participate in the session at a local pub is that the proprietor usually gives the musicians' table a complimentary pitcher or two of beer, but refuses to provide complimentary non-alcoholic beverages for us non-drinkers.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 08:10 AM

Not that I don't think pub/restaurant drinks are overpriced, because they are, but you are also paying for the salaries of the employees, overhead, and so forth. Several people sitting for an hour or three drinking beer or soft drinks use up as much of the fixed costs of operation as would several parties passing through in the same amount of time eating a meal...and the owner doesn't get his exorbitant profit for the meals not eaten. I don't think pub coke is particularly overpriced in relation to beer - look at the relative prices of one bottle of either bought at a grocers compared to one drink in a pub, and the mark-up isn't all that much different. Of course, soft drink refills are free in many places, which is another reason for the proprietor to jack up the price of the first one.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 09:59 AM

"get a senior coffee or soft drink at McDonald's for fifty cents"

They don't do that in Australia... :-)



Bought a (375ml is standard size) can today $2 - chilled.

You can buy packs of 20-30 (sizes vary) cans for between 40-50 c a can in supermarkets.

Now as for the ripoff of 'bottles' of Coke - here in Aus they had a 3 litre bottle for a while - it was actually dearer to buy it that way per unit volume than any other bottle! And they have a racket in the supermarkets, whereby they pump the prices of 1.25 litre bottles up and down on a regular basis.

Now as for soft drinks in pubs - even the added mixers are almost more expensive than the booze therein...

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:05 AM

Not in the UK Art - there you pay for every drink - no refills in the pubs I know.

In most pubs the food area is separate from the bar and so there is no loss of custom that way. The pubs are set up for drinking and socialising rather than having a meal, for the main part.

As I said earlier, the cost of producing a coke or lemonade from the carbonated taps is about one penny a glass, usually about half a pint. Pub prices can range from 50p to over one pound. I was charged 90 pence for a half pint glass of carbonated water at the pub where the folk club met in Hertford.

The difference between the cost of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks in the UK is that a hefty slice of the cost of booze goes in tax. The tax element in respect of soft drinks is much, much lower. That means that there is a much higher profit margin to the publican on soft drinks.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 11:20 AM

It is commonly known (I think--at least, I know it) that the drinks are the source of profit in most fast-food establishments here in the U.S. I'm probably not the kind of customer they want, because I usually by a little sandwich and drink the bottle water I have with me that I filled in the tap. I drink a lot of pop at home, but only because I've bought it a lot less expensively. I stopped buying it from vending machines several years ago, when I realized that the dollar or two a day I was spending on soda could be better used to help a friend who was trying to recover his business after 9-11 (he lives in lower Manhattan). I've managed to continue that frugal practice for several years.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 11:39 AM

I agree with the OP that the price of soft drinks in UK pubs is a rip-off. A pint of beer bears duty (tax) of around 37p (I think - it went up 1p a pint today, in the budget), so if a pub charges the same for beer as for lemonade or coke, they are making that amount extra per pint in profit, on the pop. [pop = fizzy soft drink such as lemonade or coke, for the benefit of US readers!]

When I were a lad, and a bit skint, I used to drink shandy because it was cheaper than beer. These days, it can often be more expensive (I don't like shandy these days anyway, as I find it too sweet - but that's another story). This was explained to me by a licensee as the cost of serving it - it takes longer to pour a pint of shandy than a pint of beer, and of course time is money.

I'm not sure what can be done about it, because if people are prepared to pay these rip-off prices, they will continue.

I won't drink soft drinks in pubs anyway, because I don't like them except in small quantities. I could never drink pints of coke or pop, and just limit myself to less beer if I'm driving. If that means making a pint last a couple of hours, then that's what I have to do (of course I'd rather drink more beer, but...!)

In any case, as far as the responsible drinking is concerned, I'd like to see the drinks manufacturers make greater efforts to produce low alcohol beers that actually taste like beer. It's possible to make a pint of ale with less than 2% alcohol, and still tastes fairly drinkable, but these are very few and far between. Most of the low alcohol or alcohol free 'beers' on the market taste disgusting and are no substitute. Then beer drinkers would have a more viable alternative to drink, instead of the bloatmungous fizzy sweet concoctions on sale in most boozers.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 11:57 AM

Well, I try not to buy soft drinks in pubs or as single bottles from machines anyway, as they are WAY too high.

But the new problem (here in Marlylad, USA) is that the prices in grocery stores has take a huge jump recently! I have been a Pepsi fan for many years, and buy it by the case or or half-case, and take my own with me when driving or going to an event where it's allowed. I had "drawn a line in the sand" vowing not to spend over $5.00 a case for 12oz. cans....so I had been reduced to watching for sales, and buying several cases,,,,and when I couldn't find a sale, buying Safeway's 'off-brand'..(maybe 75% as good as Pepsi). But *WHAM*!, A couple of months ago, the LIST price of Pepsi and other soft drinks rose maybe 60-70%! And Pepsi stopped making the 16ox plastic bottles infavor of just a 24 oz.!! plastic bottle. And Safeway changed their 'store brand' to one higher proced, and even less good!....I had almost decided to give it up totally.

   I found ONE sale the other day at $5.00 a case...limit one...and have revised my plan to still buy only on sale, but to limit my intake to keep my total cost at or below what it was before, which means I can't have one every day.

Just a personal way of standing my ground...and probably better for me, anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 12:48 PM

Interesting to find that Coke and the soft drinks industry has a World wide monopoly on pricing

Scandalous rip off, anti social, profiteers and I care nothing for their charitable causes which are simply a mask for the high prices they get away with! If i want to be charitable I will do it my way!

Soft drinks main target families and those visitors who can do little about it

Taint fair!!

Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Scoville
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 01:06 PM

Well, they could stop drinking them since they don't have any nutritional value in the first place. My mother rarely bought soda when we were kids, and she sure as Hell didn't let us drink it at meals. Milk or water only; soda was a dessert if we had it at all.



Most restaurants here--chain ones, at least--do free refills but I the pubs/bars I've been to charge for refills, as well. I haven't noticed a particular price jump recently but I don't buy much soda so maybe it escaped me. RC was still between $1 and $1.20 a 2-liter a week ago when I got some to make the cola-chocolate cake for my brother.

But, yeah--soda companies and bars could give soft drinkers a break. The dude at our table at the Battlefield Band show last night drank quite a bit. He probably would have, anyway, but I was still glad his wife was driving them home.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 03:27 PM

I don't drink the sugar variety, but neither do I drink the NutraSweet diet drinks. That stuff makes me sick. I look for the narrow slice of the market that uses Splenda. Royal Crown Cola makes Diet Rite and Diet RC with Splenda (Diet Rite first is also caffeine free). And Coke makes a Diet Coke with Splenda, but those are difficult to find. CVS Pharmacy is the only place, and they aren't cheap, so it's a rare occasion when I stop to pick one up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 08:29 PM

Go to Price Chopper and buy a case of 24 cans of Coke. Works out to about .20 each.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: frogprince
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 12:02 AM

The price of soft drinks is certainly a ripoff, but that doesn't hold a candle to the inanity of people paying good money for premium label "designer water".

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 08:43 AM

The price of soft drinks is certainly a ripoff, but that doesn't hold a candle to the inanity of people paying good money for premium label "designer water".

Yes, I had to laugh when the "healthy" Perrier water was found to contain benzene. I'd love to have seen the faces of all those yuppies who think it's cool to pay two quid a bottle for stuff that's no better (and in this case, a hell of a lot worse!) than tapwater.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 11:07 AM

In UK coke is reasonably cheap and sold in litre bottles at something like 80/90p in shops and colleges etc

Bottles of coke from Vending machines about 80p for 500ml (half litre)

The pubs sell coke from dispensers via the pump and half a pint sells usually for £1 (£2 a pint) however this is not set in stone and as I initially said I was charge £3 for apint!!

To make matters worse the £3 was of Diet coke from a Supermarket litre bottle (probably frowned upon by the brewery as a potential scam by the publican)

Water should be free to all who ask and Scottish Law insists that this is the case

UK law appears to be silent but an unwritten rule is that water requested is available free. I could not find any reference to water in new legislation in UK but is specifically mentioned in Scottish law. This is not popular particularly since bottled water is now available for sale!!

UK Tap water is 99% safe throughout the UK and water from toilets (taps) is often used to top up bottles at Festivals

Basically pub Landlords are a law unto themselves and need to be brought to book ~ this should begin with the Breweries and their totally Antisocial attitudes and profit based motives

Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 11:38 AM

this should begin with the Breweries and their totally Antisocial attitudes and profit based motives

Agreed, but remember that in addition to the breweries, there are the large pub chains that now own a large proportion of UK pubs. These are just as bad as the breweries from the profiteering viewpoint.

Pubs are a valuable asset to a community, expecially in rural areas, and they are closing at an unprecedented rate thanks to the owners (breweries or pub chains) demanding ever higher profits and rents from the tenants and managers, with the result that many pubs have gone to the wall and the properties sold off for housing, leaving many villages without a pub.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 03:15 PM

You make the points very well indeed Scrump

Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: jacqui.c
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 03:21 PM

That was what happened to the pub my son ran a few years back. Greene King put him in there and he made one hell of an effort to make the last remaining pub in the village a success.

However, the brewery would not allow guest ales and the prices that they charged for beer did not allow him to compete with the nearby town or the cricket club.

When he moved out to another pub they close that pub down and it was pulled down, I think for housing.

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,Bruce Michael Baillie
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:50 AM

Ray, how in God's name can you manage A PINT of coca cola? bloody awful stuff, If I'm out driving I generally drink Tonic water, I mentally tell myself that it has gin in it, ...it sort of works?

Subject: RE: BS: Cost of Soft Drinks eg Coke
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 01:59 PM

With difficulty Bruce! Of course its very good at cleaning coins too

Ray