Product Warning Fail: Drink Then Swallow
Friday, 24 April 2009 -- 4:00 pmOn nice afternoons, we take a walk over to the shop next door to buy soda and ice cream. Today was especially lovely, so on the way back, we sat on the office steps to enjoy our snacks, basking in the spring sunshine and joking around. At some point, I happened to take a look at the label on my bottle of Pepsi Max and was surprised to notice the following warning:
I started laughing and nearly spit out a mouthful of soda! Ironically, that was exactly against what the label instructed: “Warning: Drink Then Swallow.”
I have no idea how to explain this! What does it even mean? Why is it printed only in English on a Norwegian product label? It seems to be a strictly Norwegian warning, since my Google search returned only a few results, all of which were in Norwegian, and none of which was particularly helpful. Apparently a few Norwegians have noticed this particular warning as well, but they all just seem annoyed at the increasing number of common sense product warnings in general.
“Drink then Swallow?” As opposed to what?! Swallow first, then drink? Drink then spit it out on the ground?
So far, the most popular theory is that one should not run around with a mouthful of Pepsi Max, since you might choke if you tripped. First of all, who does that? Second, if the warning is targeted at small children who might do that, what are the chances they read English?
Also, why is this warning not on any other soda bottle? I’m honestly a little freaked out! Maybe Pepsi Max has a higher acidity and is more likely to damage my teeth? Who knows?! I wish the stupid warning had a few more details, because honestly I’m now a bit wary about Pepsi Max and might just switch to Coke Zero or Coke Light. Especially if I’m in the mood to run around with a mouthful of cola!
April 24th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
ok…seriously just made me laugh and regret, just a little bit, not coming to work today so I could be on said walk to the store…
April 24th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
That’s so funny!
April 26th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Firstly, I think that they have taken things too far when they tell you how to consume a can of soda. But more importantly…. you shouldn’t be drinking any of the brands of coke or cola… diet or otherwise… the acidity rate is 2.5pH which is not only disaster for your teeth…. think of what it is doing to your bloodstream…. you make yourself acidic now…wait until you reach 35 – 40 and suddenly the diseases that your grandparents started to suffer at age 75 -80 are already upon you. Take my word for it, ACIDIC is not a good way to be.
May 9th, 2009 at 10:54 am
But being Hasidic is ok… sorry, could not resist.
As much as I drink it, I realize that nothing good can come from soda. Its a prescription for disaster…. bad for bones, blood, ph levels, kidneys, throat…etc etc. I have made it a rule that I drink at least 3 glasses of water for every glass of soda, just to feel good about my self.
Now beer….. that’s another post.
June 6th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I just wrote an little article of this myself.
i went to the store yesterday, bought a pizza, some snack.. and soda, and i was like..
coke or pepsi max.. hmm well why not, lets take the pepsi this time.
when i came home after eating my pizza, i just saw a red label, WARNING.
im like what tha..?
DRINK THEN SWALLOW?
instant laugh for like 5 minutes, i mean come on.. what? 4 real?
this must be just a joke from pepsi’s side.
anyhow, it tasted good. cheers from norway
July 28th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Today, while I was browsing throughout the web, I stopped to think a bit when suddenly I looked to the right and noticed an old bottle of pepsi. It was laying there for days… I took it and decided to look at the sugar percentages when I noticed that it was a Pepsi Max thus sugar free. When putting the bottle back on its place I noticed it. ” DRINK THEN SWALLOW… “>alert(“test”);
August 17th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Hi, im norwgian, and i saw this stupid crap here the other day.. but a friend told me that an american guy drank his pepsi and then forgot to swallow!
he sued the pepsi max company and said that it wasnt his fault that they didnt warn him about that before he drank it.. i donno why its only on norwegian bottles though
August 18th, 2009 at 10:31 am
[...] Fare for kvelning? Noen har foreslått at advarselen er satt på fordi det kunne tenkes at man kunne kveles om man falt og [...]
December 4th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
“Explained” (at least 2 comments from Ringnes are quoted): http://10min.no/javel/warning-drink-then-swallow (in Norwegian)
January 25th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
OMG…
DRINK THEN SWALLOW… it’s really important danger… be carefull… don’t swallow before drinking it… 
:D hah 