Feel like you’re paying a lot more for soft drinks? Here’s what the data shows.
The data confirms what your wallet has probably already felt: soft drinks have been steadily getting more expensive.
In the South region, the cost of a can of soda has jumped nearly 45% in the past two years, according to the latest data available from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In January 2021, the cost of a 12-oz. can of soda (within a 12-pack) was $0.38 in the South. As of December 2022, it’s $0.55. Soft drink prices are shown to be even higher in the western part of the country.
The chart below shows prices for the South, Midwest and West, plus the U.S. city average.
Here’s what the cost of a can of soda looked like throughout the past two years in the U.S. South region:
- January 2021: $0.38
- July 2021: $0.37
- January 2022: $0.41
- July 2022: $0.45
- December 2022: $0.55
Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska
The News & Observer