Super Big Gulp fan says 7-Eleven duping the public out of 4 ounces

[The Straight Story]

Super Big Gulp fan says 7-Eleven duping the public out of 4 ounces


One thing I admire about Austinites is how they're all over any wrongdoing that comes along, large or small. Or, in this case, super.

Take Paul Sunby, 50, a biologist with an environmental consulting firm who is all over 7-Eleven for "trying to dupe people" over the actual size of its Super Big Gulp fountain drink. Sunby said the convenience store has reduced the size of the drink from 44 to 40 ounces in a sneaky way — or as he put it, "cleverly, quietly, and diabolically." Meanwhile, he said, the price remains the same: $1.50.

Paul, who is married to one of our business reporters, Lori Hawkins, said he noticed this transgression last summer when the store stopped selling Super Big Gulps for a couple of months, then started up again with a new cup. The old cup used to say Super Big Gulp on it, along with the 44-ounce size. But the new cup, while saying Super Big Gulp, included no size info, Paul said.

"They still say Super Big Gulp, but they no longer had the 44-ounce size printed on them, making people think they're the same thing," Paul groused.

Sunby said the new cup just didn't feel quite as large as the earlier version, so he decided to measure. Was the wool being pulled over the eyes of the big soda-pop-drinking public?

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/super-big-gulp-fan-says-7-eleven-duping-1161022.html

[rfranklin]

1. This is a healthy thing...

People who drink 44 ounces of soda in a day are not doing themselves a favor. Could be one of the reasons so many are less than svelte.

[Fumesucker]

3. I think that's a great reason for corporations to deceive us..

It's only for our own good, after all.. :eyes:

[demodonkey]

2. In the article: anonymous first-name-only corporate lackey who 'can't' give her last name...

All too common when dealing with corporate America these days, especially health care.

You call for information or service and talk to one of these "Suzies" or "Keishas" who "aren't allowed" to give a last name so that if you need followup there is no accountability.

The commercials with "Peggy" from "USA Prime Credit" aren't so far-fetched.

And even though some think it may not be healthy to drink 44 oz of soda, please note that many companies are sneakily reducing sizes of what they sell and charging the same price or more.

NOT a good trend for consumers.

[demodonkey]

4. NBC Today Show reporting right now that products are getting reduced as much as 20%...

...two less slices of cheese in Kraft Singles, one less glass of juice in Tropicana, 10 square feet less in Scott Toilet Paper, "pint" of Hagen Daas is 14 oz. etc. etc. -- much smaller packages with prices of the products staying the same or rising.

[Poboy]

5. I'm an Oreo cookie fan. Over the past ten years, deception after deception has been made.

Slowly, less and less product is put in to each unit. First it is different packaging, now the actual size of the cookies are smaller.
I have a chrome decaner that I unpack the cookies in when I buy them. Ten years ago, the container held exactly one bag of cookies. Now, that container is merely 2/3rds filled!

I also have a Safeguard soap shape story/investigation. They are ripping us off!
I no longer buy Safeguard and have switched to Dial white.

[GoCubsGo]

7. I saw that. This is not the first time, either.

They've been slowly shrinking things for the past five or six years. The only benefit for me is that I could plow through a half gallon of ice cream in a week, easily. (It is my favorite drug. :-)) Now, I only plow through a quart and a half a week. ;-)

I also notice that the supposedly healthier "lower fat" version are shrunk down even more. Where a package of full-fat Sargento provolone has 10 slices, the low-fat has 8 slices. It's the same with many other cheeses, crackers, etc. Fewer slices/pieces/ounces. I don't waste my money on them, as there is really not that much difference fat-wise when you read the labels.

[LiberalFighter]

10. They have been doing that for years. Reducing size and increasing price.

[Poboy]

15. All the while denying inflation and cost of living increase.

[Harry Monroe]

6. Good God!! 44 ounces of soda!

And he's worried about a 4 ounce difference? I would hope this is some sort of trend by 7-11 to slowly decrease the size of this monstrosity to a sensible level.

[GoCubsGo]

8. Imagine the size of his bladder!

[rug]

9. Clearly, you do not apprehend the gravity of the situation.

[taught_me_patience]

18. Some people share it with their families.... n/t

[LoZoccolo]

21. Well, there are people like me who like to fill up with ice.

I rarely ever get a drink at 7 Eleven, but at work where the soda's free in the break room I'll actually put ice in the glass until it overfills into a little dome that looks like a sno-cone before I pour the can of Pepsi in. I wouldn't be surprised if there was only room for 12-16 ounces in a 44-ounce cup after what I like to do with it. I'm not sure I'd fill it so much if I had to pay for every ounce though.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Duping would be saying it is a Super Big Gulp and it has 44 oz

when it only has 40 oz. Since they didn't have the number of ounces or state that it was something other than 40 ounces they haven't done anything wrong.

What 7-11 could do when he shows up is put a sticker on his cup that is already made up just for him that says. "Approximately 40 ounces"


Oh yes... I wonder how many times he has filled his cup and received more than 44 ounces each time he bought a super big gulp?

[Kokonoe]

12. Lipton tea now uses 10% less in a tea bag, down to 1.8 g

But I forget to use less water, and it changes the end product.

So now I just buy the 2g Chinese tea bags. Sorry Lipton. Not.

[Javaman]

13. I'm ashamed of my fellow citizens...

Ahhh Austin. Progressive, liberal, but sadly stupid when it comes to sugary neon colored mystery flavored icy drinks.

"dag nab it! I pay for 44 oz of ass busting HFCS and by gum! I'm gonna git it!!"

I apologize for my city.

[hlthe2b]

14. Yup... better fight for your share of that poison...;

:eyes:

[guitar man]

16. The last guy

that screwed me out of 4 ounces of coke was really on my shit list!! :grr:

Oh....this is about the Big Gulp....oops ! :blush:

:hide:

[bigwillq]

24. ha ha

:rofl:

[taught_me_patience]

17. I buy a super big gulp every weekend

and have noticed that it seemed smaller than in the past. I also noticed the lack of 44oz label on it and wondered how big it really was. Price increases have also been pretty sharp. Five years ago, SBG's were $1.19 and now $1.50. Any more price increases and I'll have to stop buying them.

[DainBramaged]

19. Coffee makers have done that for years

Coffee was 16oz per can, then 13, then 11.5, all in the same size can as 16oz.

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. kick cuz this is a great thread topic

:-)

[hugo_from_TN]

22. No one is being duped

It doesn't say 44 oz anymore. What a maroon.

[taught_me_patience]

25. Actually, if people believe it is 44 oz, they are being duped

–verb (used with object)
3. to make a dupe of; deceive; delude; trick.

There is deception here. Is it legal? Yes because it no longer says 44oz... but it is certainly deceptive.

[Odin2005]

23. An enviromentalist drinking a Super Gulp?

[kurtzapril4]

26. Why not?

Some of us don't drink coffee or tea. I have a large coke in a 44 oz plastic cup every morning. I fill the cup to the rim with ice. Less than 20 oz. fit in that cup. I measured it, because I count calories. I allow myself one Coke a day. I lost 50 lbs, and I still had my one coke a day. I will not give up my one coke a day. You have your coffee and tea, I have my Coke.

Moderation is the key...and one Coke a day isn't going to kill you, or make you obese, or add to your waistline all by itself.