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Mon 2 Apr, 2007 10:22 pm
I have been watching Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola systematically raise their prices like a well conducted orchestra. I have also noticed that they alternate weeks on sales. One week it's Pepsi and the nest it's Coca Cola.
What do you think..anybody?
Can't speak to your area but in mine they raise their prices at about the same time and they both are on sale at the same time. Neither have raised prices much. There has only been a slight increase and with the cost of fuel for transporting rising quickly I don't find that surprisuing.
"Price fixing" means that there is a planned effort involved and I don't see any evidence of that at.
fishin wrote:Can't speak to your area but in mine they raise their prices at about the same time and they both are on sale at the same time. Neither have raised prices much. There has only been a slight increase and with the cost of fuel for transporting rising quickly I don't find that surprisuing.
"Price fixing" means that there is a planned effort involved and I don't see any evidence of that at.
Yes, I know what price fixing is. Even in your area, having sales at the same time isn't coincidental. Is there anyone out there that has the same situation as in my area (S.Florida)? Your right, fuel coat does reflect increased prices in everything we use.
I have noticed this for 7 years.
snookered wrote: Even in your area, having sales at the same time isn't coincidental.
Since both Coke and Pepsi products are on sale pretty much constantly I don't see much coincidence. *shrugs*
I don't buy Coke or Pepsi, but I know that there are "seasons" of sales, in general. I know when to go someplace and find the major sales -- usually NOT in typical sale periods (after Christmas, say) but in the actual doldrums.
Those are consistent, and I don't think they're some mass collusion; just that lots of sellers follow the same principles of when sales will get people buying who otherwise wouldn't, or when stock needs to be cleared.
Even if it isn't coincidence, that doesn't mean it's price fixing. Pepsi and Coke buy their raw material from the same kind of suppliers. They also market their product through the same kind of agencies, and sell them to the same kind of customers. I would expect their prices to move in tandem even without fixing, reflecting the same changes in production, distribution, and consumer demand.
snookered
All different types of companies do this all the time.
You'll see Colgate and Crest toothpase on sale at the same time, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.
In fact, if you clip coupons from the newspaper you will notice that a coupon for a product will come the same time it is on sale at the store.
Or, the item will go on sale right as the coupon is about to expire.
It's competition.
Damn. Sozobe wrote my post again before I did.
I don't understand how it could be price fixing? There are several other cola companies - granted those are the two largest ones, however, there are a slew of other companies. If both these companies got together to "fix" their prices, and the prices rose too high - then there is the option of many other colas.
Not sure, but doesn't the grocery store determine which product goes on sale? There are more than three grocery chains in my area - and one may have Coke on sale one week, while another store has Pepsi so I can't see how this is fixing prices? Often times grocery stores have certain products on sale (even if they lose money on the product) to draw people in to do their weekly shopping.
Also, many people have distinct preference on which product they prefer so I would imagine that individual would go to the store that had it on sale.
Lastly soda is horrible for you any way so try drinking water - better for you and less on the pocket.
Linkat wrote:Lastly soda is horrible for you any way so try drinking water - better for you and less on the pocket.
Soda works well in mixed drinks though!
sozobe wrote:I don't buy Coke or Pepsi, but I know that there are "seasons" of sales, in general. I know when to go someplace and find the major sales -- usually NOT in typical sale periods (after Christmas, say) but in the actual doldrums.
Those are consistent, and I don't think they're some mass collusion; just that lots of sellers follow the same principles of when sales will get people buying who otherwise wouldn't, or when stock needs to be cleared.
It happens weekly here. One week Pepsi has a sale, next week Coca cola has a sale. I have never seen a week when both have had sales.
I noticed alternating price increases for years. Before fuel prices rose.
sigh.....
ignored again.....
Chai wrote:snookered
All different types of companies do this all the time.
You'll see Colgate and Crest toothpase on sale at the same time, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.
In fact, if you clip coupons from the newspaper you will notice that a coupon for a product will come the same time it is on sale at the store.
Or, the item will go on sale right as the coupon is about to expire.
It's competition.
Sorry Chai, never saw your response.
There are maybe eight brandname toothpastes. They do compete as you suggest.
However, there are only two dominent brands of Coloas. I have never seen a "Coupon" for either, except at a Pharmacy.You are comparing apples to oranges.
Some other cola companies:
Procter & Gamble
Cadbury Schweppes
Winn-Dixie
Hansen Natural
SABMiller
Heineken
A.S Watson
Asahi Breweries
Cott
Leading Brands
Polar
Brands of cola....
RC
Coke
Pepsi
Tab
Albeit, coke and pepsi are the most popular.
It's not common, but there's coupons for sodas.
I simply think marketing is sophisticated enough to know when the competition is going to have a sale, and simply respond to the market.
fishin wrote:snookered wrote: Even in your area, having sales at the same time isn't coincidental.
Since both Coke and Pepsi products are on sale pretty much constantly I don't see much coincidence. *shrugs*
Yeah, if Pepsi is on sale at Target, then Coke is on sale at Walmart.
And it's on sale somewhere every week.
You're just being fixated on colas snookered.
If you look at ANY product people buy all the time, you'll see the same thing.
Linkat wrote:Some other cola companies:
Procter & Gamble
Cadbury Schweppes
Winn-Dixie
Hansen Natural
SABMiller
Heineken
A.S Watson
Asahi Breweries
Cott
Leading Brands
Polar
Let me repeat...There are two MAJOR Brands of Cola, Pepsi and Coke. These you mention don't amount to a hill of beans. The Leading Brands are these!
I have never heard of six of them. Four are beer breweries, unless they have a line of Coloas.
Where do you live and what do you consider leading brands?
god snookered...just because you've never seen 2 brands go on sale the same time, never seen a soda coupon, never noticed other products where there are 2, 3 or 4 main vendors that all follow each others leads as far as offering specials, does that mean it doesn't happen?
Seriously, what is this fixation on cola?
Crest and Colgate are the 2 main toothpastes, with 5 or so lesser brands that are still someone popular.
if crest and colgate both go on sale, is that price fixing?
Same thing with orange juice...minute maid runs a special, so does tropicana.
If there's a coupon for hunts catsup, then heintz goes on sale.
whenever I go to pet smart to buy cat food, if friskies is on sale, whiskas or kal kan or kit and kaboodle cut their price too.
Advil goes on sale, so does Tylonol
you just a big soda drinker or something?
snookered wrote:Linkat wrote:Some other cola companies:
Procter & Gamble
Cadbury Schweppes
Winn-Dixie
Hansen Natural
SABMiller
Heineken
A.S Watson
Asahi Breweries
Cott
Leading Brands
Polar
Let me repeat...There are two MAJOR Brands of Cola, Pepsi and Coke. These you mention don't amount to a hill of beans. The Leading Brands are these!
I have never heard of six of them. Four are beer breweries, unless they have a line of Coloas.
Where do you live and what do you consider leading brands?
Yes - they have a line of colas (breweries) - just because you do not recongnize the names - most sell under different brand names. Look up the company websites and you will see they also sell soft drinks.
One that I see alot is Polar Cola and A&W root beer plus many smaller companies are taking over similar to micro breweries. Also many store brands are distributed by some of the companies I listed above.
The other point being is there are other choices. If the prices get too high, people will switch to another choice.
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