Soda Water... Why does it cost so much!?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I do a lot of online shopping thru Tesco, so figured I'd take a look at their soda water choices, at least via their online/home delivery source.

Here's a snap of what they offer in terms of soda waters:

Not surprisingly, the ONLY portion size they offer are various versions of the 325ml glass bottles. But I was surprised to see that they're also offering those bottles in lime-lemon, apple mint, and "blue magic" versions from Chang, whatever the heck "blue magic" is. No idea if the flavored versions are sugared or not.

So at least at Tesco, the flavored versions are going for between 9.5b and 11b per bottle, depending on the pack size, whereas the plain unflavored version are selling for 6 to 7 baht per 325ml bottle, with the closer to 6 baht price when you buy a 24-bottle case. That works out to a bit less than 3 times the price for the soda water (5 325ml bottles for 30 baht=1.625L) vs regular still water in a 1.5 little bottle (say approx. 10 baht per).

When I drink soda water in place of regular drinking water, I'll usually drink a 500 ml portion at a sitting, and 3 or 4 of those per day, depending on the weather. So, at that rate, with the small glass bottles, I'd be using and accumulating about 6 glass soda water bottles per day -- something I'd prefer not to do. Leaving aside the issue of questions surrounding the quality/purity of Thai bottled water products.

When I drink the Waitrose 2L sparking water bottles at home, especially during the summer, I'll accordingly go thru almost a full 2L bottle per day, and kept in the frig, it lasts fine through a day and into the next day as well.

Edited April 17, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[1FinickyOne]

48p - - 80p - - ??

I have to buy everything here in baht... they must be charging you extra to exchange the coins...

(Shaking the head slowly in dismay)...... Trying make the point it's a rip off price by using the much lower UK price to back up my point that's all...

Chang and Singha brands that's it.....? Somebody would have brought out cheaper alternatives in a free market...

Well, you don't say that in your OP - I and maybe a couple of others here, are not Brits, do not daily price things in pound and pence - took me a minute to realise what currency you are talking in. But why so worked up over this? I am sure if there was a big market for it, then it would be more competitive... that is just how it is in a foreign country... things are different.

You will just have to budget for these differences... can you get a 30 baht noodle soup in Britain - - every time you get a noodle soup, put the savings toward the outlandish price of whatever - soda water, in your case.

And be thankful that you don't have real problems.. like having to pay rent in UK... or taxes on television.. etc etc..

[SoiBiker]

I do a lot of online shopping thru Tesco, so figured I'd take a look at their soda water choices, at least via their online/home delivery source.

Here's a snap of what they offer in terms of soda waters:

Tesco Soda Waters.jpg

Not surprisingly, the ONLY portion size they offer are various versions of the 325ml glass bottles. But I was surprised to see that they're also offering those bottles in lime-lemon, apple mint, and "blue magic" versions from Chang, whatever the heck "blue magic" is. No idea if the flavored versions are sugared or not.

So at least at Tesco, the flavored versions are going for between 9.5b and 11b per bottle, depending on the pack size, whereas the plain unflavored version are selling for 6 to 7 baht per 325ml bottle, with the closer to 6 baht price when you buy a 24-bottle case. That works out to a bit less than 3 times the price for the soda water (5 325ml bottles for 30 baht=1.625L) vs regular still water in a 1.5 little bottle (say approx. 10 baht per).

When I drink soda water in place of regular drinking water, I'll usually drink a 500 ml portion at a sitting, and 3 or 4 of those per day, depending on the weather. So, at that rate, with the small glass bottles, I'd be using and accumulating about 6 glass soda water bottles per day -- something I'd prefer not to do. Leaving aside the issue of questions surrounding the quality/purity of Thai bottled water products.

When I drink the Waitrose 2L sparking water bottles at home, especially during the summer, I'll accordingly go thru almost a full 2L bottle per day, and kept in the frig, it lasts fine through a day and into the next day as well.

Why are the glass bottles a problem? They'll get recycled.

[MROLL320]

48p - - 80p - - ??

I have to buy everything here in baht... they must be charging you extra to exchange the coins...

(Shaking the head slowly in dismay)...... Trying make the point it's a rip off price by using the much lower UK price to back up my point that's all...

Chang and Singha brands that's it.....? Somebody would have brought out cheaper alternatives in a free market...

Well, you don't say that in your OP - I and maybe a couple of others here, are not Brits, do not daily price things in pound and pence - took me a minute to realise what currency you are talking in. But why so worked up over this? I am sure if there was a big market for it.....

I rarely buy it...so not worked up at all. I buy mainly as a diet (low sugar) soft drink if I do. But the point is.... Surely someone has thought... I'm going to get myself some of this huge profit margin! Surely, tesco or somebody would have done by now in a free market?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Why are the glass bottles a problem? They'll get recycled.

That's true, but so would 2L plastic bottles, which happen to fit better space-wise in my frig and aren't so heavy to carry, if I'm the one doing the carrying.

But those issues aside, for me, it's kind of like going to the market and wanting to buy a pound of ground beef. And instead of giving you 1 package of a pound of ground beef, just as a hypothetical comparison, the butcher hands you 4 small packages of 1/4 pound each... Why???

I'm going to use the product in larger portions/quantities. I can easily buy regular water in 1.5L plastic bottles or even larger, no one's forcing me to buy 325ml glass bottles there. And more broadly, I can buy laundry detergent and fabric softener in large/bulk bottles. I can buy cooking oil, mustard, mayo, flour, and just about anything else in large bulk portions. But when it comes to Thai soda water, it's 325ml glass bottles or bust...

Why? Apparently, because as stated above, the average Thai doesn't think of soda water as a drinking water alternative, but rather, only something to mix with their whiskey, where small individual portions of the soda water make common sense.

Edited April 17, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[KittenKong]

(Shaking the head slowly in dismay)...... Trying make the point it's a rip off price by using the much lower UK price to back up my point that's all...

Chang and Singha brands that's it.....? Somebody would have brought out cheaper alternatives in a free market...

The Thai market is not free. It's a massive cartel with no real competition at all.

That's why just about everything manufactured costs more here than it would in the UK.

[bubba1]

Why are the glass bottles a problem? They'll get recycled.

That's true, but so would 2L plastic bottles, which happen to fit better space-wise in my frig and aren't so heavy to carry, if I'm the one doing the carrying.

But those issues aside, for me, it's kind of like going to the market and wanting to buy a pound of ground beef. And instead of giving you 1 package of a pound of ground beef, just as a hypothetical comparison, the butcher hands you 4 small packages of 1/4 pound each... Why???

I'm going to use the product in larger portions/quantities. I can easily buy regular water in 1.5L plastic bottles or even larger, no one's forcing me to buy 325ml glass bottles there. And more broadly, I can buy laundry detergent and fabric softener in large/bulk bottles. I can buy cooking oil, mustard, mayo, flour, and just about anything else in large bulk portions. But when it comes to Thai soda water, it's 325ml glass bottles or bust...

Why? Apparently, because as stated above, the average Thai doesn't think of soda water as a drinking water alternative, but rather, only something to mix with their whiskey, where small individual portions of the soda water make common sense.

There are bottles bigger than 325ML you can buy them at a wholesale shop that supplies bars and restaurants. Not sure of the size but there are both big and small bottles available from Singha.

[billd766]

I buy Chang soda water at my local whisky shop for 120 baht in a wrapped pack of 4 x 6 bottles.

Price = 5 baht each.

When they are empty we put them in a sack and every month the local salvage guy comes around on his samlor and takes all the glass and bottles away and we get 30 or 40 baht a time.

It works for us.

If you put the soda in the fridge and find something to mix it with (other than whisky) then you get a carbonated drink at a cheap price.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There are bottles bigger than 325ML you can buy them at a wholesale shop that supplies bars and restaurants. Not sure of the size but there are both big and small bottles available from Singha.

Those don't appear to be in Makro's inventory. Any idea of just who/where those larger sizes are to be found where a farang could buy them?

[bubba1]

There are bottles bigger than 325ML you can buy them at a wholesale shop that supplies bars and restaurants. Not sure of the size but there are both big and small bottles available from Singha.

Those don't appear to be in Makro's inventory. Any idea of just who/where those larger sizes are to be found where a farang could buy them?

Find a local shop that sells cases of beer and whiskey. They will sell you the bigger bottles cash and carry.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If you put the soda in the fridge and find something to mix it with (other than whisky) then you get a carbonated drink at a cheap price.

Frankly, most Thai bottled still water ranges in taste from boring to bad. So if you're drinking a lot (as you should be during warm/hot weather), it's good to have something to add a little fizz or flavor to it.

When I drink the soda water at home, I usually add a few squirts of the bottled Thai lime juice, which results in a pleasant, refreshing drink. Equally so, can do the same with the various flavor cartons of Thai fruit juice, which are best consumed highly diluted with water anyway. Take that soda water, and add a pour of kiwi-apple juice or cranberry-grape juice, etc to it, and once again, quite a nice, refreshing summer pour.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There are bottles bigger than 325ML you can buy them at a wholesale shop that supplies bars and restaurants. Not sure of the size but there are both big and small bottles available from Singha.

Those don't appear to be in Makro's inventory. Any idea of just who/where those larger sizes are to be found where a farang could buy them?

Find a local shop that sells cases of beer and whiskey. They will sell you the bigger bottles cash and carry.

Given that Makro doesn't stock those AFAIK, (just cases and cases of the 325ml bottles), and they certainly sell everything by the case-ful and in bulk size quantities, I'm a bit skeptical...

But I'll ask around...

[bubba1]

There are bottles bigger than 325ML you can buy them at a wholesale shop that supplies bars and restaurants. Not sure of the size but there are both big and small bottles available from Singha.

Those don't appear to be in Makro's inventory. Any idea of just who/where those larger sizes are to be found where a farang could buy them?

Find a local shop that sells cases of beer and whiskey. They will sell you the bigger bottles cash and carry.

Given that Makro doesn't stock those AFAIK, (just cases and cases of the 325ml bottles), and they certainly sell everything by the case-ful and in bulk size quantities, I'm a bit skeptical...

But I'll ask around...

Most Thai bars use the bigger bottles

http://www.boonrawd.co.th/singha-corporation/en/singha-beverage-soda.php

[thai3]

was 32 baht for six a few weeks ago in Big c, then jumped to 42. Now I get the 24 packs for 155 baht, not really so much. If you are trying to cut doen on beer drinking this stuff instead is a good method.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Most Thai bars use the bigger bottles

http://www.boonrawd.co.th/singha-corporation/en/singha-beverage-soda.php

Thanks for that.... 400ml is a bit of an improvement over 325 ml... though not exactly what I'd call a "large" bottle.

I was thinking/looking/hoping more in this neighborhood:

Or even a Thai version of this:

Edited April 17, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

FWIW, I checked the online versions for both Tops and Tesco, and neither of them seem to stock the 400ml size Singha soda waters.

[Bantex]

Most Thai bars use the bigger bottles

http://www.boonrawd.co.th/singha-corporation/en/singha-beverage-soda.php

In Bubba1 's link there is a contact us tab at the top. Try contacting them direct for a list of local stockists in your area they supply to.

[Pinot]

Then buy a Soda Stream and make your own.

Seriously though, if 9 baht a bottle is too much, you must be on the bones of your arse.

I have to agree...keenio.

You're paying for the convenience of a small bottle. I have them delivered by the case, a couple a month along with beer, coke and sangsom.

This goes back a few years, but I to have a beautiful dispenser I kept in the refridge. Filled it with tap water, attached a CO2 capsule and squirted it in fresh to a glass as needed.

Keenio.

[changnoi101]

...

Edited April 18, 2016 by changnoi101

[billd766]

I buy Chang soda water at my local whisky shop for 120 baht in a wrapped pack of 4 x 6 bottles.

Price = 5 baht each.

When they are empty we put them in a sack and every month the local salvage guy comes around on his samlor and takes all the glass and bottles away and we get 30 or 40 baht a time.

It works for us.

If you put the soda in the fridge and find something to mix it with (other than whisky) then you get a carbonated drink at a cheap price.

The salvage guy came this morning and cleared all my glass bottles.

I got 22 baht for them which doesn't matter.

He gets something more when he sells them on, the guys he sells to makes a profit and they eventually get recycled at less than the cost of a new one.

Everybody gains a little.

[Nowisee]

Too many options

Go into a super market in the USA and it's mind boggling... 27 flavors, 8 different sizes and 15 manufacturers.

Another guess is it costs money to set up manufacturing lines... better for them to offer fewer brands.

You accept what they offer, not they offer what you want.

The other is (careful of the defamation law on this one) they got you by the balls. Pay or ??? There's a long standing tradition of someone doing something to keep things the way they are... 400% taxing on certain items because no one here wants to lose the monopoly.... and they can't make a good tasting beer worth a shlitz...

Edited April 18, 2016 by Nowisee

[bubba1]

Did some market research on the 'big' bottles from singha. They are sold in plastic crates and usually delivered to bars and restaurants. I assume the buyer pays a deposit for the bottles and plastic crate. Similar to the way beer is sold at the supermarket in Germany or how Coke used to be sold in the USA in large glass bottles years ago.

[baneko]

Thais think soda is cheap......so do I!