Costco drops banhammer on Coke products

Costco has taken a surprising stance in a pricing dispute with the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company, banning Coke products from Costco stores.

A Costco executive confirmed the ban to the AP, citing the disagreement over pricing, but refusing to comment further on the ongoing dispute. Coke told the AP that they intended to negiotiate in “a spirit of fairness” and that Costco is an “important customer.” Coke’s lineup of soft drinks includes Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Full Throttle energy drinks and Aquafina water.

While Costco won’t be removing Coke from the shelves, don’t expect any restocking of the brand’s offerings until the issue is settled between the two giants. If you’ve absolutely got to have Costco-sized Coke for your Thanksgiving shindig, or you’ve got a habit and a Costco card, you might want to stock up in the meantime until Costco and Coke resolve their differences. Or switch to Pepsi.