It’s a fascinating time to be a consumer in the U.S. right now.
What used to be a simple trip to the grocery store to pick up the essentials has now become something of a competitive sport.
For one, the cost of many foods and drinks has gone way up, making for what could be a stressful trip for people on a budget.
The most recent CPI found that in February the cost of key goods and services rose 0.2% from January and 2.8% over the 12 months.
The index for food increased 0.2% in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
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“Driven primarily by a 10.4% increase in the index for eggs, the index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose 1.6% in February,” the agency said. The beef index increased 2.4% and the index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.4%.
Over the past 12 months the food at home index rose 1.9%; the index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose 7.7%, reflecting particularly a 58.8% leap in the index for eggs; nonalcoholic beverages added 2.1%; dairy and related products rose 0.8%, and cereals and bakery products moved up 0.3%.
New drinks are on the rise
While the cost of many of our favorite drinks are on the rise, many people are still curious enough to try new beverages.
The industry is growing and it’s not just the soda category that interests shoppers. One area that’s expanding at a rapid clip is functional beverages.
These tend to be sweet fizzy drinks that taste like soda but don’t carry the same sugars or caffeine that traditional soda does. They may also claim to promote benefits like mood boosts, immunity boosts and digestive assistance.
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Functional beverages now line the aisles of many grocery and health food stores.
Coca-Cola makes a bottle change
The beverage industry is changing rapidly, and even the most iconic sodas are getting the treatment.
Coca-Cola will now add the phrase “Recycle me again” on its 20-ounce plastic soda bottles. It’s an effort to encourage drinkers to toss used bottles in the recycling bin and to spread awareness about its plastic-recycling campaign.
“By properly recycling bottles and cans, we can help sustain a circular economy where we can source more recycled material to use in future packaging,” the Atlanta drinks giant said in a statement.
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Coke recently said it achieved 100% recycled PET plastic for all its Coke plastic bottles, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and flavored Cokes.
This is a first for any sparkling beverage brand in the U.S. and marks Coca-Cola’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
“Through this initiative, the company expects to avoid its use of new plastic by nearly 80 million pounds in 2024, the equivalent of nearly 2 billion bottles,” Packaging World says.
“This packaging shift also means a reduction of energy use, carbon emissions, and waste with each 100% rPET bottle, helping [Coke] take tangible steps toward its goal of having 50% recycled content in all bottles and cans by 2030, a pillar of its World Without Waste strategy.”
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