Fact check: AriZona iced tea still marked 99 cents in US

Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY
·2 min read

The claim: Photo shows two cans of AriZona iced tea, one marked 99 cents, the other $1.29

As U.S. inflation reaches a 40-year high, a photo has been circulating on social media that suggests the price of AriZona iced tea has increased from 99 cents to $1.29.

The photo shows two very similar cans of AriZona iced tea. One is marked 99 cents, the same price the tea has been for decades, according to// the Los Angeles Times. The other can in the photo is marked $1.29.

"It's officially time to start worrying," reads the caption of the photo in a June 16 Facebook post.

The post was shared nearly 6,000 times in a week. The photo also spread widely on Twitter.

However, the photo is misleading. The suggested price of 99 cents for the pictured AriZona iced tea has not changed, according to the company. The can marked $1.29 is from Canada, and its price is given in Canadian dollars.

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment. The Twitter user could not be reached.

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Photo shows AriZona iced tea cans from U.S. and Canada

The iced tea company, AriZona Beverages, posted a tweet reassuring consumers that the price of the tea hadn't changed.

"This goes viral A LOT! The can on the left is in US dollars. The can on the right is in Canadian dollars. Hope this clears things up. Don't panic," reads the June 16 tweet.

The company previously tweeted a similar response to a version of the claim circulating on Twitter in early 2021.

AriZona also noted on its website that the tea remains 99 cents a can.

Our rating: Missing context

Based on our research, we rate MISSING CONTEXT the claim that a photo shows two cans of AriZona tea, one marked 99 cents, the other $1.29. Although the image suggests the price of the 99 cent tea has risen, the AriZona iced tea company said the price remains the same. The tea can marked $1.29 is from Canada, and the price is given in Canadian dollars.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: AriZona tea company says 99 cent tea still 99 cents in US