Your Doritos and Cheetos are about to get cheaper, just in time for the Super Bowl.
PepsiCo announced Tuesday, Feb. 3, it would be dropping prices on brands such as Cheetos, Lay’s, Doritos, Tostitos and more in an effort to “increase accessibility and offer more choices for consumers.”
The company will be lowering its suggested retail prices by up to 15%, starting this week.
“We’ve spent the past year listening closely to consumers, and they’ve told us they’re feeling the strain,” said Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S. in the release. “Lowering the suggested retail price reflects our commitment to help reduce the pressure where we can. Because people shouldn’t have to choose between great taste and staying within their budget.”
The products will remain the same size, quality and taste, the company said. And the price reductions will remain in place, as “this isn’t a short-term price reduction – it’s a long-term commitment to providing more value to consumers and a strong signal that PepsiCo understands what consumers are facing,” the company said.
Overall, PepsiCo’s net sales rose 5.6% to $29.34 billion over last year, according to figures released during the company’s fourth-quarter quarterly earnings call. But the company saw volume declines, particularly for its food and drink in its North American businesses where low- and middle-class shoppers are buying less due to inflation. “Affordability” is the issue, CEO Ramon Laguarta said on the call.
Since 2020, PepsiCo has raised prices faster than competitors and now must reduce prices to maintain market share, Reuters reported.
Another issue may be America’s recent focus on unprocessed foods. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has constantly stressed the need to cut down or eliminate added sugar and ultraprocessed foods. New U.S. Dietary Guidelines, announced Wednesday, Jan. 7, flipped the food pyramid upside down to put protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains on top.
The revised guidelines “mark the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in our nation’s history,” Kennedy said. “The message is simple: Eat real food.”
How much is PepsiCo cutting prices?
Some examples of the price reductions provided to USA TODAY:
Grocers, supermarkets and other retailers set their own prices, but “we anticipate these savings will be reflected in stores, delivering meaningful relief for consumers,” PepsiCo said in a statement to USA TODAY.
PepsiCo stopping some snacks, adding more
During the first half of 2026, PepsiCo also will be reducing its product line in the U.S. by nearly 20%. At the same time, the company looks to stoke consumer interest with new products made without artificial colors or flavors, such as Gatorade Lower Sugar and Doritos and Cheetos “Simply NKD” products produced without food dyes but with the same flavors.
Coming up: Doritos Protein chips, and Baked Lay’s and Lay’s Kettle chips made with avocado oil or olive oil.
Other markets dropping prices
Fighting higher prices has been a trend lately, especially since last year’s 43-day government shutdown saw funding for food aid benefit programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) run out. Millions of Americans had to stretch their dollars or visit food banks and local food drives to feed their families.
In 2025, Costco, the popular warehouse retailer famous for bulk goods and low prices, dropped prices on several popular food items even more.
In November, Target announced it was lowering prices on 3,000 food, beverage and essential items to help families stretch their household budgets during the holiday season. The reduced prices lasted through December, the company said.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Cheaper Doritos? PepsiCo to drop prices on these snacks. How much
Reporting by C. A. Bridges and Mike Snider, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
