Costco members are divided over the wholesaler's nationwide switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola products in its food courts. The transition, which began in early July, was finalised this week, with Coca-Cola taking over entirely.
Reactions on Reddit have been mixed. One user noted, 'Companies do this all the time, Subway just switched to Pepsi from Coke.' Another lamented, 'I know I just noticed this the other day and was very sad I couldn’t get my usual Pepsi with the hot dog.' A frustrated shopper in Glasgow reported, 'Same in Glasgow, believe Iron Bru [an iconic Scottish soda] is also no longer an option, potentially dark days ahead.'
Costco had previously served Coca-Cola before switching to Pepsi in 2013 to maintain the $1.50 hot dog combo price. The company announced in January it would revert to Coca-Cola, with CEO Ron Vachris confirming the change at a shareholder meeting: 'This summer we will be converting our food court fountain business back over to Coca-Cola.'
All Costco food courts are expected to stock only Coca-Cola products by autumn. Costco's CFO assured customers last year that the $1.50 combo price was 'safe' despite inflation. Manhattan-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert commented, 'Coke vs. Pepsi has always been a cultural dividing line... So when Costco suddenly took sides, it triggered a reaction far bigger than soda itself.'
