The Cost of a 12 Pack of Soda

Published on February 17, 2023 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using publicly available sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

One of the most common packages of soft drinks sold at grocery stores is the 12-pack of soda. There are many soda flavors from many famous soda brands.

How Much Does a 12 Pack of Soda Cost?

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In general, the price of a 12-pack of soda depends on the brand and the place you buy it from. Store brands are always cheaper than name brands. In most United States areas, the cost of a 12-pack of soda would be anywhere between $5 and $12 (that's 24 minutes of your life at a $30/hr wage, or $4.80 in 1990 money), not including the deposit in case the state charges it.

In the table below you will find the average prices for a 12-pack of soda from of the most popular brands.

Brand	Price Range
A&W	$5-$7
Sunkist	$2.75-$5
Store Brand	$2.75-$5
Squirt	$5-$6
RC Cola	$4-$6
Dr. Pepper	$4.50-$6
Diet Rite	$5-$6
Coca-Cola	$3-$6
7-UP	$5-$6

According to the members of the Baby Center online forum, the cost of a 12-pack of soda is anywhere between $6 and $12 (about $4.80 in 1990 money).

For instance, Walmart.com lists 12 packs of soda that range from $3.98 for Sam’s Cola Soda Pop to $7.46 for Sprite Lemon Lime Soda.

What are the additional expenses?

Most states apply a bottle deposit to the total order, even though you can get the deposit back. In general, this fee would be anywhere between $0.10 and $0.15 per can, which results in $1.2 to $1.8 for a 12 cans pack.

Also, in some states, you may have to pay a special tax on sugary beverages.

Important things to consider

This carbonated drink is the favorite of 21st-century society, as every year tons of such liquids are consumed. Carbonated drinks are non-alcoholic, being prepared from water, caffeine, and a flavoring agent. There is still the possibility that fruit juice or alcohol can be found in these drinks – below 0.5% of the total volume for the drink to be included in the non-alcoholic drinks sector.

You might also like our articles on the cost of Prime Drink, energy drinks, or Balance of Nature.

According to scientists, carbonated drinks are responsible for doubling or tripling the incidence of dental caries, because they attack and dissolve tooth enamel. The acid contained in these drinks can dissolve the mineral content of the enamel, which leads to tooth sensitivity and, subsequently, tooth decay.

In order to encourage recycling, most states charge a bottle deposit. But when you take back the cans, this is refunded to you. So, if you pay $1.8 in a bottle deposit, this entire sum will be refunded to you. Take the cans to your local grocery store, where you will find special recycling machines, and you will get a receipt. Show these receipts to the cashier or at the counter and the amount will be taken off your total grocery bill or given to you.

Always purchase your soda from a local grocery store because, at the liquor and convenience stores, the price is more than 40% higher.

Other options

Soda doesn’t come only in 12-can packs, and it can be bought in many different forms. Also, there are various-sized bottles such as 2-liter, 20 ounces, and 16.9 ounces. As the bottles can be closed, some people prefer them over cans. Bottles can be bought individually from grocery stores or gas stations, or they can be bought in six or eight-packs.

A traditional soda can has 12 ounces. Though, you can find smaller cans in packs of eight.

How can I save money?

Similar to most products, the more you buy, the more you can save. For example, a 24-soda pack costs much less than a 12-pack of soda. In case you have a membership card at a wholesale club, take into consideration purchasing from there to save more money. For example, Sam’s Club sells a 35-pack of Coca-Cola for around $17 (about $6.80 in 1990 money).

Pay attention to the sales and look for coupons at the local grocery stores as most of these have promotions and discounts on name-brand beverages. For instance, you can buy a 12-pack of Coca-Cola for $7 to $15 on sale. Also, the majority of the stores rotate promotions between various brands. If you don’t want a certain brand, you can buy whatever is on sale at the time of your purchase.

Search for special deals and coupons from brands you like. You can find these coupons on the company’s official website or on its social media pages.

Take into consideration buying a store-brand soda, if you are not loyal to a certain brand. This way you may be able to save up to 40%.

You can make your soda even at home with a Soda Stream gadget. It costs around $110 and for each refill, you will have to pay $7 to $20.

In general, when buying soda, the cheapest option is to buy 2-liter bottles.