On store shelves, stealthy shrinking of containers keeps prices from rising

[DogPoundPup]

It is hard to spot what happened this year in the peanut butter aisles of local supermarkets.

But a careful look at the jars of Skippy on the shelves may reveal a surprise. The prices are about the same, but the jars are getting smaller.

~snip
Across the supermarket, manufacturers are trimming packages, nipping a half-ounce off that bar of soap, narrowing the width of toilet paper and shrinking the size of ice cream containers.

Often the changes are so subtle that they create "the illusion that you are buying the same amount," explained Frank Luby, a pricing consultant with Simon-Kucher & Partners of Cambridge, Mass.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-shrink9-2008nov09,0,4372443.story

[LaurenG]

1. The size of the tp we use here at work was downsized as well.

It's about 1/4 inch shorter and won't fit on the tp holders anymore. The brand is cottonelle.

[Hubert Flottz]

13. Only a half assed republican would never notice...

I'm glad Mr Whipple ain't around to see this shit!

[dipsydoodle]

2. At this rate it won't just be

toilet paper made from recycled paper - it really will be recycled toilet paper.

It's the same in the UK. I've noticed for example that the pork content in pork sausages keeps diminishing.

[flvegan]

3. I noticed that Pepsi went from 12 packs to 8 packs at the same price.

[petronius]

12. Seriously!? They're not entirely clear on the 'indistinguishably small changes' concept,

are they?

Our main irritants are coffee and ice cream - we now have to have 3 cans of coffee in the cabinet to get through the week instead of two...

[Overseas]

4. Much better subject line now.

It is an interesting approach-- downsizing containers just a little bit to make us think we're still getting the same amount.

I remember decades ago when the coffee cans went from 16 oz to 14 oz for the same price.


On another frugality note -- I really dislike seeing those sentimental lovey dovey Walmart commercials. Because even as the customers get cheap goods, they're really helping China the most, although since Walmart drove smaller businesses into the ground, their customers are at least keeping those jobs going.

[ensho]

5. I've noticed it too - like they think we are fooled!

nt

[rurallib]

6. toilet paper is like 10 sheets for a buck now

Now that is a problem.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Look at cereal boxes they are just as tall but half as thick now

Which is ridiculous because they still don't fit into my shelves.
Consumers are easily fooled. I started looking at weight and price for many years

[Vickers]

8. Did those Guinness cans used to be 16 oz? They're like 14-something now.

I noticed this in the grocery store the other day.

[Not Me]

9. 8 o'clock coffee...was 16 oz, then 14, then 13, now 12

And sells at retail for $5.09 in my grocery store. They have taken it to "premium" pricing.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. Does that fool inflation measurement? -nt

[trudyco]

11. How stupid do they think we are - like we don't notice our grocery bills going up? nt