# Who else hates the new 12-pack soda boxes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261 "2003-05-19T20:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/1 "2003-05-19T20:29:16Z")
Yuck! I hope these things die a quick death. The premise: The old boxes contained 3 x 4 cans. The new ones, designed to fit in your fridge as a dispenser, are laid out in a 2 x 6 arrangement. Why this sucks for me: We don’t keep our cans in the regular fridge! All our canned and bottled beverages go in one of those larger “dorm-size” under-the-counter fridges. The bottom shelf holds three of the old 3 x 4 packs PERFECTLY, standing on end side-by-side, with extra room in the door and on the top and back shelf for bottles of water, beer, wine, etc. Today I finally had to buy one, as our store was finally out of the old convenient boxes. Now I suppose we’ll have to stack the cans individually on the bottom shelf. What a pain. Have you seen these things? Do you like them or not? How do you store YOUR cold soda? ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/2 "2003-05-19T22:12:51Z")
The “fridge packs” are an abomination. They first introduced them in Atlanta about a year ago, when I lived there. Then I moved to Knoxville, and they weren’t here! I was in heaven. Then…they introduced them here. These boxes do not fit in my fridge, except crosswise on the bottom shelf. My fridge must be less deep than the usual ones (it is an older fridge), because no matter which shelf I tried, they stuck out too far. I complained to the Coca Cola company. No, it didn’t do any good, but I wanted to complain. Luckily, other brands are not using this set up yet, and while I prefer diet coke to other brands, I’m no longer purchasing it, because of the issues with the fridge pack. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/3 "2003-05-19T23:19:56Z")
I found a bunch of online articles saying that Coke (and now Pepsi) are trying to boost home sales of canned drinks with the “fridge packs,” and it seems to be working. So I guess we can expect any complaints to fall on deaf ears. :mad: Anybody know a good brand of ginger ale that comes in the old packs? Canada Dry (owned by 7UP) seems to be converting as well. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/4 "2003-05-19T23:29:58Z")
I don’t like them. The cardboard is too flimsy. I don’t store them in the fridge anyway, and when I get to the bottom of the box, it’s a LOOOONG reach down! ☹ Then again, I need to quit drinking soda - maybe this will be the impetus. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/5 "2003-05-20T05:28:21Z")
Well, I think they are great, perfect for the fridge, and will only buy the sweet nector of the gods that is Dr. Pepper in these new cases. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/6 "2003-05-20T07:21:17Z")
I like them. They’re easy to carry and fit nicely in my fridge and the extra cases fit perfectly in the pantry ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/7 "2003-05-20T07:33:43Z")
I like them. I have a shelf in my fridge where they fit perfectly, and most other stuff I buy doesn’t fit on that short shelf very well. The main problem I have with the old-style 12 packs is once in a while the cans do a unplanned roll out of the carton, and land on my feet. This new style carton seems to prevent those unplanned rolls. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/8 "2003-05-20T13:36:26Z")
I love 'em. For those of us with normal fridges, they fit MUCH better than the old style packs. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/9 "2003-05-20T14:04:20Z")
I like the new packs and they fit just fine on my refrigerator’s bottom shelf. I used to have to mutilate the old boxes so I could reach in and grab a can out of it. Now they just roll to the front from the convenient opening. Once I’m down to three cans I just take them out of the box and set them in the fridge loose. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/10 "2003-05-20T14:14:23Z")
I love 'em too. I bring packs of seltzer to work to avoid drinking sugary soda from the vending machine, and they take up much less room in the ever-crowded, never-cleaned company fridge. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/11 "2003-05-20T18:26:41Z")
I really like them as they fit in my fridge well, and save me the unloading them from the 12-pack time of the old design. The only downside is the large amount of soda in the fridge reminds me of how much Diet Coke with Lemon I drink. . . ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/12 "2003-05-20T18:31:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Athena \* > \*\*I love 'em. For those of us with normal fridges, they fit MUCH better than the old style packs. \*\* I do have a normal fridge. Full size and everything. Just…old, so it’s got issues. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/13 "2003-05-20T20:37:26Z")
They haven’t made it out here yet but it’s all the same to me. I’d keep buying my Sprite if it only came in 20 gallon drums. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/14 "2003-05-20T20:57:08Z")
Haven’t tried them yet, but I suspect they will fit on the bottom shelf better, and free up more space for Beer! 😃 * * * Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/15 "2003-05-20T21:18:21Z")
Since IMHO is the place for polls, I’ll add another Pro-new pack vote. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/16 "2003-05-20T21:32:35Z")
:dubious: What are all these heathens doing in my thread??!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/17 "2003-05-21T03:30:44Z")
People really store 12 cans of soda in their fridge at once? How weird. I rarely drink soda, so I don’t put in the fridge one way or the other more than a can or two at a time- even with 3 pro-soda people in the house there are never more than 4 or 5 cans in the fridge at any given time. Soda doesn’t go bad(for months), so it’s not as though it needs to be kept constantly cold like milk or opened juice, so why waste the space? I think the new cases are ridicious, but apparently some people, not in my house, find the stupid things useful. They don’t fit as well in the cabinet, so that’s my main objection, given I’m the one who puts the things away. The old packs stack much better. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-hates-the-new-12-pack-soda-boxes/176261/18 "2003-05-21T08:19:24Z")
I have embraced The Fridge Pack. The other ones sucked; you had to remove all the cans from the box or it either wouldn’t fit in the fridge, or you couldn’t pull one can out of it without having all the other ones spill out along with it. The key here is to not have an antique fridge that just can’t handle these new-fangled improvements. “Who else hates these new ‘automatic’ cars?” 😃