Soda consumption on the decline

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supton

supton

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Per-capita consumption falls to 30 year low

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Since the late 1990s, per capita consumption of traditional carbonated soft drinks has declined in the US, from nearly 53 gallons per capita at its peak in 1998 to 41 gallons per capita in 2014


Heard on NPR this morning that Coke Cola was rebranding their non-sugar based entities in an attempt to counter falling soda sales. I didn't realize soda was on the decline, so came across the above. Figured some here would appreciate the trend.
 
Given the negative health effects of soda pop, trending down can only be good as long as it's replaced with something healthy like plain water. I can't imagine why anyone would want to drink that nasty, chemical laden garbage called soda pop.
 
Red Bull and garbage like that take a fair bite out of pop's sales, and are no better. Coke and Pepsi really laugh in the end, anyhow, because even if it's plain water, people line up to pay them through the nose for the same product that comes from their tap.

Bottled water markup is extraordinary and its expiry date is much longer than similarly bottled pop.
 
Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch
The soda companies have been preparing for this for years, they have bought up most of the water and juice companies to offset the decline.


As long as I can still buy store brand water I don't mind. We don't buy "lots" of water but we do keep water on hand, in case the power goes out.
 
In 1995 I was a sales rep for Coca-Cola. The only way to make any money was to sell more than the previous year. At our sales meeting we would hear "I dont want to hear that you cant make people buy more..I want to hear that you sold more." About a month before the quarter the sales manager would be panicking...we were never above the previous year..always lacking. So every quarter out behind the large grocery stores would be 1 or 2 Fifty two foot trailers laden with soda. The numbers would count, and they would give the store managers tickets, or whatever they wanted to park the trailers and make the numbers count. So just in my area we would have 100000 cases in limbo just to hit the numbers. This isnt counting the 1000 case displays that were always being built just to keep the numbers afloat.

I remember joking with the budweiser rep back then.. my phone calls would usually be due to sending too much product...his calls were send us more...
 
I am a bit shocked its still 41 gallons? That's about a can a day per person? And I'm sure atleast 25% of people rarely ever drink pop at all.
 
I quit drinking soda completely 2 years ago. It's nothing but sugar water. I never did drink any of the energy drinks...
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I am a bit shocked its still 41 gallons? That's about a can a day per person? And I'm sure atleast 25% of people rarely ever drink pop at all.


But, then you have the people who drink several two liter bottles a day.
My daughter hates soda, which I am very glad for. The bad thing is that she is like every other kid in her generation in loving cold coffee drinks with loads of cream and sugar...at least that is a one drink a day, a few days a week thing for her. She has friends who have one when school starts, go buy one at lunchtime, one or two after school habit.
I was totally off soda when I got out of college, drank lots of milk, tea, and juice. Started using artificial sweetener in my tea because it dissolved faster than sugar, and I drank a lot of tea because it was served in quart sized glasses in Dallas restaurants with free refills...we could be totally parched just from driving to lunch in August and down two huge glasses before our food even arrived. Got back on diet soda at another job when I worked long hours and the soda machine was right by my desk and have been struggling to quit the last few years. I know it is terrible for me, but I use it as an emotional crutch when stress is overwhelming me...just gotta grow a pair and stop drinking the garbage.
 
I grew up with the stuff. RC, Coke Dr Pepper you name it. Never touch the stuff now. I get 12 qts worth of Wylers Raspberry Iced tea mix or any other flavor for $1.59 at Winco. Why pay soda prices.
 
I hate to sound like an old curmudgeon but that's what I am.....
One missing thing is contempt for products which deliver little but profit to the makers and sellers.

Gone are the days when someone would say, "Hey, I can make that at home for pennies!". These products come in "Earth unfriendly" packaging as well.

Too bad. We really are slobs now-a-days. Kira No flame suit needed because you know I'm accurate.
 
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
In 1995 I was a sales rep for Coca-Cola. The only way to make any money was to sell more than the previous year. At our sales meeting we would hear "I dont want to hear that you cant make people buy more..I want to hear that you sold more." About a month before the quarter the sales manager would be panicking...we were never above the previous year..always lacking. So every quarter out behind the large grocery stores would be 1 or 2 Fifty two foot trailers laden with soda. The numbers would count, and they would give the store managers tickets, or whatever they wanted to park the trailers and make the numbers count. So just in my area we would have 100000 cases in limbo just to hit the numbers. This isnt counting the 1000 case displays that were always being built just to keep the numbers afloat.

I remember joking with the budweiser rep back then.. my phone calls would usually be due to sending too much product...his calls were send us more...


Back in 1987, I had a gap year, and worked in a petrol station.

Schweppes had offered my manager 1,000 cases free if he bought 1,000...he found a garage/workshop in the company that was non utilised and filled it up (painted the windows white so kids didn't see the contents).

Coke declined to bargain, they had a price list and that was it.

We had a Coke fridge and a Schweppes fridge, coke and diet coke in the coke, and milk/juice. The Schweppes was Pepsi, all sorts of mineral waters...chockers...we had thousands of cans of their product.

Coke came in one day and stated that we had less than half product in their free fridge, and wanted the milk out...boss re-suggested the offer that he'd given prior...they stated no milk...I spent the afternoon lugging the milk and whatnot out of the coke fridge, the fridge out to the yard, and tidying up the spot for the Schweppes fridge that was showing the next morning.

Free schweppes fridge, and it had a shelf of Coke, a shelf of diet coke, and milk/juice for the rest...and having coke in a pepsi logoed fridge diminished the brand presence badly
 
I drink the basics here. Water, coffee (black, cold) and beer. Once in a while I'll get a small soda - but if I try to actually refresh or rehydrate myself using a soda, I feel sick.
 
Years ago, I used to have one can of soda about once a day. Today, I don't drink it as much. Maybe 2 cans a week on average. I don't see anything wrong with drinking it in moderation. Nothing more refreshing than an ice cold Pepsi when I'm working outside in the heat.
 
I kicked soda a while ago; I guess I had trimmed it down over the years. Largely replaced by coffee. I cut back the sugar in my coffee a couple years ago too; I'll drink tea neat but I prefer a dark roast coffee and that just needs a bit of sugar IMO. Half tsp does the job. A less robust cup I'll drink black if it is room temp.

I rarely drink cold drinks anymore. Basement temp is good enough for most beers, well ones worth drinking.

I have a friend who brews beer; I ought to go over some time. I've wondered about trying "table beer" as a different sort of drink. Beer taste but less alcohol and calories--for when water or coffee won't do.
 
Originally Posted By: sprite1741
I grew up with the stuff. RC, Coke Dr Pepper you name it. Never touch the stuff now.

Same here, but I don't recall the last time I had a Coke or root beer or anything else. Nowadays I drink fizzy mineral water; $1.50 for a large bottle at World Market, or $7 for a six-pack. Each bottle lasts me several evenings.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
I kicked soda a while ago; I guess I had trimmed it down over the years. Largely replaced by coffee. I cut back the sugar in my coffee a couple years ago too; I'll drink tea neat but I prefer a dark roast coffee and that just needs a bit of sugar IMO. Half tsp does the job. A less robust cup I'll drink black if it is room temp.

I rarely drink cold drinks anymore. Basement temp is good enough for most beers, well ones worth drinking.

I have a friend who brews beer; I ought to go over some time. I've wondered about trying "table beer" as a different sort of drink. Beer taste but less alcohol and calories--for when water or coffee won't do.

I found 0.5% beer went down pretty good on a hot day. I was grading the land around our pond with the tractor, so I dropped a six pack into the spring that feeds our pond. Almost like a beer commercial except my wife wasn't in her bikini bringing it to me...
 
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People are becoming more and more health oriented. I think its time Soda companies review their drinks and try to use healthier ingredients.
 
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