After summer 1997 where competitive pricing is major industry news, latest data shows actual price cuts steeper in 12-can packs than 2-liter. Details. Supermarket data for full US shows prices down or flat in both 12-pack and 2-liter for all top-10 brands (BD 2/7/97) plus RC Cola. Data compares 13-weeks ending 9/28/97 vs same period 1996. 12-pack. For full US, 12-pack prices under $3 for all top-10 brands except Caffeine-Free (CF) Diet Pepsi. Coke Classic 12-packs priced 5¢ less than Pepsi. Diet Coke 6¢ lower than Diet Pepsi. Sprite priced 6¢ less than 7UP. RC Cola posts lowest prices for both 12-packs and 2-liter among major brands; also steepest declines.

2-liter. Prices under $1.02, except for 7UP. Coke Classic 1¢ less than Pepsi. Diet Coke 1¢ lower than Diet Pepsi. Sprite 5¢ less than 7UP. 15 markets. Issue supplement, The Green Sheet (B) [not available online], tracks 12-pack and 2-liter pricing in 15 markets. Data covers $2+ mil supermarkets. BD now includes Baltimore/Washington DC.

Views. Bottlers say pricing still ferocious. Midwest bottler: "It's crazy. It's no better today than in July. This will go right through the end of the year."

Individual markets: 12-packs. Prices down in Baltimore/Washington DC, Detroit, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Phoenix/Tucson. Declines exceed gains in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, New York, San Francisco/Oakland. More gains than declines in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Philadelphia, Seattle/Tacoma. Data shows prices up in Los Angeles. 2-liter. All prices flat or down in Boston and Seattle/Tacoma. More prices flat or down than up in Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York and Philadelphia. More prices up than flat or down in Detroit, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and San Francisco/Oakland. All prices up in Chicago.

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