Heat transfer is not instant. It is proportional to the difference in temperature between the two objects. I assume you know that.

Lowering the bottle into very hot water for a short time will warm the syrup. The water may be too hot to touch but the bottle is not necessary too hot to touch after being dipped.

It’s Australia. There won’t be a bill.

It’s because one of the basic ideas of free market capitalism, that competition between suppliers will drive down prices to the lowest sustainable point, is a lie.

Everyone selling anything aims to be a price taker. That is, rather than sell for the lowest price that keeps them afloat they sell for the highest price they can get.