$13 for a 12-Pack? 'Astronomical' Soda Price Sends Americans Reeling as Grocery Costs Continue to Rise

Soft-drink prices have outpaced grocery inflation for years, and aisles like this, where Sprite is cheap only in bulk, show why shoppers are fed up. (Credit: Google Gemini generated image)

A 12-pack of Sprite carrying a $12.99 (£9.73) price tag has become the latest lightning rod for American grocery anger, after a photo of the sticker, described online as astronomically high, spread across social media and drew a wave of exasperated replies.

The tag, spotted at a San Diego store and posted online, laid out a jarring split. Shoppers could pay $12.99 (£9.73) for a single pack, or $4.99 (£3.74) each if they bought five or used the store's digital coupon. That single price is the one built to sting, a penalty rate that nudges customers towards the loyalty deal, and it is the figure that went viral.