Drinks on Sale This Week in South Africa: Soft Drinks, Juice, Water and the Maths Behind Multipacks
Quick answer: We could not verify this week's drinks specials, so the dependable skill is comparing price per litre across formats and checking the conditions on multibuys. Sweetened drinks carry the Health Promotion Levy of R0.021 per gram of sugar above 4 g per 100 ml, in force since 1 April 2018, which is built into the shelf price, while water, unsweetened drinks and most diet drinks carry little or none. Large bottles are almost always cheaper per litre than cans, and house brands are cheaper again. Check this week's leaflets for the actual numbers, and decide whether a multibuy is something you would drink anyway.
' 'Last updated: October 2026. We found no verified current drinks prices. The levy rate and start date are from South African tax rules, and the only table below uses invented prices to illustrate the method.
' 'Background: why drinks are always on promotion
'Drinks are among the most promoted grocery categories because they are bought often, take up little shelf time and carry healthy margins for both manufacturers and retailers. Supermarkets feature soft drinks, juices, water and cordial in nearly every weekly leaflet, usually as multibuys such as three for a fixed price. The promotions are timed around weekends, school holidays, braai season and long weekends, when households stock up for gatherings.
' 'The Health Promotion Levy changed the category. Since April 2018, producers have paid R0.021 for each gram of sugar above 4 g per 100 ml, so a drink with 10.6 g per 100 ml pays on 6.6 g, which works out to roughly R2.77 on a 2-litre bottle (our calculation). Many manufacturers responded by cutting sugar or adding sweeteners, and the price gap between regular, low-sugar and zero-sugar versions has narrowed. This is why you may find that the zero-sugar version costs the same as the regular one on a given week, and why checking the label is worthwhile.
' 'How to compare drinks properly
'Work out the price per litre. Divide the price by the total volume in litres: a 6 x 330 ml multipack contains 1.98 litres, a 2-litre bottle contains 2 litres and a 24-pack of 500 ml water contains 12 litres. On invented prices, a 2-litre bottle at R24.99 costs R12.50 per litre, three for R60 brings it to R10.00 per litre, and a 6-pack of cans at R54.99 costs about R27.78 per litre. The table below sets this out.
| Format (invented prices) | Price | Volume | Per litre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L bottle, normal price | R24.99 | 2 L | R12.50 |
| 2 L bottle, 3 for R60 | R20 each | 2 L | R10.00 |
| 6 x 330 ml cans | R54.99 | 1.98 L | R27.78 |
| 24 x 500 ml water | R72.00 | 12 L | R6.00 |
Next, read the conditions. A "3 for" deal may require you to buy the same variety, or it may allow mixing, and the price may apply only to cardholders. Check the expiry date, especially on juice and on drinks that are discounted because they are close to the end of their shelf life. Remember that a bargain only saves money if you would drink the product; buying nine bottles because they are cheap can mean pouring some away.
' 'Tips for lowering the household drinks bill
'The cheapest drink is water from the tap, where it is safe and available. A filter jug or a reusable bottle replaces most bottled water, and flavouring with fruit slices makes it more attractive to children. Squash and cordial, diluted to the manufacturer's ratio, cost a fraction of ready-made juice per litre and let you control the sugar. For soft drinks, buying the 2-litre or larger bottle and decanting into a smaller bottle for lunchboxes beats cans on cost.
' 'Also think about health. Sugary drinks add large amounts of sugar to the diet without making you feel full, and frequent consumption is linked to weight gain and dental problems. Keeping fizzy drinks as a weekend treat and defaulting to water or milk during the week reduces both the grocery bill and sugar intake. If you host a party, plan about two to three drinks per guest for a few hours and include water and low-sugar options for drivers and children.
' 'Frequently asked questions
'What is the cheapest way to buy cold drinks?
'Large bottles and house brands, compared per litre, with multibuys only when you would use them.
'Does the sugar levy raise prices?
'Yes, it is built into the cost of sweetened drinks; low-sugar drinks escape most of it.
'Are cans or bottles better value?
'Bottles, by a wide margin per litre, though cans are convenient.
' 'Sources
'- '
- National Treasury and SARS: Health Promotion Levy (since 1 April 2018) '
- Retailer leaflets for current prices (not verified for this week) '