COSTCO members were outraged after the retailer prepared to make a controversial change to its soft drinks lineup in the food court.
The warehouse giant is reportedly ditching Pepsi drinks in favor of Coca-Cola products across its food halls across the country, with changes expected to be implemented early this year.
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While Coca-Cola loyalists may welcome the addition of Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, and Sprite, many regular Costco customers are taking to Reddit to voice their frustration.
One shopper shared a photo of an empty soda station in Monterey Park, California, writing: “The shift to Coca-Cola has begun.
“All the Pepsi dispensers are gone.”
The move sparked disappointment among die-hard Pepsi fans.
“My local food hall just took back Mountain Dew. It's been ages,” one user commented.
“But both machines were out of commission last time and it was terrible. And I love Mountain Dew. It's very disappointing.”
Another said: “No no no… the real question! Is… are they bringing back Dr. Pepper?! They're not a Coca-Cola product, but they ride with Coca-Cola.”
One critic summed up the mood by saying: “These jokers keep playing it off.”
Costco has a long history of soft drink swaps tied to cost-cutting efforts.
After a 2009 price dispute with Coca-Cola, the retailer pushed out Coca-Cola products for a month before reaching an agreement.
By 2013, Pepsi took full control when Costco failed to negotiate lower costs with Coke, a change that took years to implement at all of its 800-plus locations.
For Costco, keeping distribution costs low is vital to maintaining its popular $1.50 hot dog and soda combo — a food hall staple whose price hasn't budged for decades, even with inflation.
This latest move is part of a larger battle in the soda wars.
Coca-Cola dominates the US soft drink market with a 19.18% market share, while Pepsi lags behind with 8.31%.
Dr Pepper, with an 8.34% share, recently overtook Pepsi for second place in total sales.
However, brand loyalty runs deep, and any change is bound to bubble.
Earlier this year, Subway announced it would divest Coca-Cola products for Pepsi products in a new 10-year deal, igniting a similar wave of backlash.
As for Costco, it remains to be seen whether this shift will appeal to shoppers or leave them with a sour taste.
But for now, the cola wars are still ongoing, and customers aren't backing down.
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