Here’s where to find the best soda deals in the Columbus area
Georgia is one of the states with the highest soda consumption rate, with 68.1% of adults drinking soda daily, according to a report by World Population Review.
In fact, Statistica reports Georgia residents are projected to spend an average of $315 million per year buying soda products. This means that not only do we drink a lot of coke (which could mean anything from actual Coca-Cola to Pepsi to Fresca to Fanta), we also spend a lot on coke.
Since our soda consumption shows no signs of slowing down, lets be smart about how we shop. As always, we’re looking for ways to save money, so the Ledger did the leg work to compare prices of 12-packs of soda at retailers around town.
How it works:
We shopped for a grab-and-go 12-pack of Coke, Pepsi, store-brand soda, and a mix of popular seltzers (Waterloo, Polar, Clear American, etc.). It wasn’t quite a professional laboratory experiment, but we did go to the stores to see prices and deals first hand.
Where we shopped:
Target
Publix
Winn Dixie
Walmart
Piggly Wiggly
Dollar General
Here’s the breakdown:
The average prices of the items at the stores we visited this week is $8.70, which is significantly higher than the national average. The Federal Reserve of St. Louis reports the average price per 12 pack, across the U.S. is roughly $6.96 to $7.44.
Piggly Wiggly is unbeatable for overall affordability, but if you’re buying in volume and can time it right, Winn Dixie might edge it out. Don’t sleep on Dollar General. They’ve got some actual deals, especially for seltzer lovers.
Target
Coke: $8.29 or 3/$18
Pepsi: $8.89
Store brand: n/a
Seltzer: Waterloo - $4.29 (3/$11)
Publix
Coke: $9.99
Pepsi: $9.99
Store brand: n/a
Seltzer: Greenwise - $5.49 | Waterloo - $6.79
Winn Dixie
Coke: $9.99
Pepsi: $9.99 (with buy one, get one 50% off)
Store brand: n/a
Seltzer: SE Groceries $5.99 BOGO 50% | Know &Love $5.99 BOGO 50% | Polar $5.99 on sale $4.49
Walmart
Coke: $7.92
Pepsi: $7.88
Store brand: Sam’s Cola - $4.46
Seltzer: Waterloo - $3.98 | Clear American - $4.97 | Better Goods - $3.46
Piggly Wiggly
Coke: $6.99
Pepsi: $7.49
Store brand: Piggly Wiggly Cola - $4.93
Seltzer: Polar - $.99/liter | Bubbly - $3.99
Dollar General
Coke: $8.25
Pepsi: $8.25 or 3/$15
RC Cola: $8.45 2/$11
Seltzer: Polar - Clover Valley $1/liter
Things to know
The timing of product sales can depend on a ton of factors. Grocery stores typically decide when to put soda on sale based on:
manufacturer promotions
seasonal demand
competitive pricing strategies.
The Passionate Penny Pincher says sales are especially common around holidays, major sporting events and during the summer months when people drink more cold beverages.
Final takeaways
Only need one pack? Go with Piggly Wiggly.
Buying multiples? Look for Winn Dixie’s BOGO deals and check dates.
Want organic/healthier options? Publix and Target have better branded selections, but you should expect to pay a little more.
Where do you shop to find the best deals? Any tips or tricks I should know? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.
