DALLAS -- Even before New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg "declared war" on large sodas with a proposed ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces, 7-Eleven had quietly downsized its 64-ounce "Double Gulp"--one of the largest widely available fountain drinks in the country--to a 50-ounce size, reported The Daily.
Still well-above above Bloomberg's threshold, 7-Eleven's Double Gulp shrank in April because it was too large for the cupholders in most American cars, company spokesperson Margaret Chabris told the newspaper.
"It was a request for something that was a little more car-friendly," she said.
Bloomberg's measure, which applies to restaurants, movie theaters and street carts, but not grocery or convenience stores, would leave the city's 7-Elevens free to sell soda of any size (see Related Content below for previous CSP Daily News coverage).
The chain sells nearly 38 million gallons of fountain drinks per year worldwide, the report said.
Chabris said 7-Eleven stores have plenty of diet and sugar-free drinks for sale.
Concerning container sizes, she said 7-Eleven was merely responding to demand. While declining to give specific numbers, she said sales of the 50-ounce Double Gulp remain the fastest-growing of all the company's cup sizes.
"If it didn't sell, we wouldn't still be carrying it," she said.
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