Food Increase

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Did you guys notice the shrinking of food package? I read an article and noticed that the bounty towel rolls have shrank since I have some from last summer and now.

I wrote about it here.

[sweeps]

Yup. Consumerist calls it the grocery shrink ray.

Ice cream is getting downsized to 1.5 quarts from 1.75 quarts (which was previously downsized from 2 quarts).

[disneysteve]

Yep. What is even sneakier is that they keep the package size the same but reduce the contents, so you don't realize you are getting less but paying the same amount unless you check the unit price. It is a hidden form of inflation: keep the price stable but give the consumer less.

[Thrif-t]

Yes I really notice it in cereal boxes!!!

[Caoineag]

Actually no, but that's just because the items I buy they don't tend to shrink (5 lb flour, 5 gallon buckets of ice cream for smoothies, tahini, etc).

We tend to buy by unit price so that tends to mitigate that effect.

[SnoopyCool]

I had no idea. Wow.

[anonymous_saver]

Originally Posted by sweeps

Yup. Consumerist calls it the grocery shrink ray.

Ice cream is getting downsized to 1.5 quarts from 1.75 quarts (which was previously downsized from 2 quarts).

My first instinct is to get annoyed by this, my second one is happiness! Does anyone REALLY need 2 quarts of ice cream anyways?? Maybe this can help out the public a bit with the obesity problem.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Caoineag

Actually no, but that's just because the items I buy they don't tend to shrink (5 lb flour)

Flour and sugar are now sold in 4 lb bags as well as 5 lb, and the 5 lb aren't as plentiful as they used to be.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

No but bounty shrunk their roll sizes. I was wondering why my packages from last summer with 8 rolls looked smaller and they had less sheets! Very smart it isn't noticable unless you have them side by side and I stack mine oldest on top and newest on the bottom so i could tell. It was weird.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

No but bounty shrunk their roll sizes.

Then they try to pass it off as a good thing for the customer. They advertise that it is now more absorbent than ever. That's great, but I'm still only going to tear off 1 sheet when I need it, so if there are fewer sheets on the roll, I'm paying the same price (or more) for less product.

[cicy33]

I don't think this will help or hinder the weight problem our nation is having. If someone is buying 2 quarts of ice cream maybe they have kids or a party. I mean that was kinda weird to say. I personally bought a gallon of ice cream the other day. It has been in my freezer for a week so far and only been in it twice. should last at least a month or so. but yes, I have noticed it for sometime now. and the 4 lb bags of sugar are the same price as the 5 pounds used to be! this is just another way of hiking up grocery prices without people being aware of it.

[Caoineag]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Flour and sugar are now sold in 4 lb bags as well as 5 lb, and the 5 lb aren't as plentiful as they used to be.

Must not be going on where I shop then. I have never seen 4 lb though I have seen 2.5 lb (those have been around for forever though). It is harder though to find flour in the 10lb bags and many times its cheaper just to buy the 5lb ones.

[red92s]

I've noticed since moving to MA that the price tags on the shelf have the unitized price in VERY big print, so it's easy to compare across products. I lived in GA previously and the unit prices were much smaller.

[aida2003]

Yep, we noticed that and I read an article about that in the local newspaper. It said that since food prices are increasing, but many families can afford to pay old prices, companies decided to manufacture smaller packaging.

From my standpoint, it's kind of deceptive and I wonder whether many families noticed the difference. I'd rather know the real price I pay in old packaging.

[rob62521]

I had really noticed it in cereal boxes, especially Multibran Chex. The size of the box was about the same size as the Corn Chex and Rice Chex boxes, now it's a lot smaller and even higher. Ouch.

I know coffee has done this for years...smaller cans, same price.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by rob62521

I know coffee has done this for years...smaller cans, same price.

Good example. A can used to be one pound. Then 14 oz. Now 13 or even less.

Tuna did this also. Same size can but less product inside.

A while ago, I was at the market and noticed a display of spaghetti sauce. What caught my attention was that the same product was in 2 slightly different bottles. One had flat vertical sides. The other had sides indented in a couple of places. I looked closer and sure enough, the new bottle with the indents held a couple ounces less sauce. But both types of bottles were being sold for the same price.

[rob62521]

I'm sure it's the beginning of things to come with food prices going up. I read an article awhile back that companies are making smaller containers because people don't want to waste a gallon of milk at the current prices, so they would prefer to buy a quart and use it up.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by rob62521

I'm sure it's the beginning of things to come with food prices going up. I read an article awhile back that companies are making smaller containers because people don't want to waste a gallon of milk at the current prices, so they would prefer to buy a quart and use it up.

I think that's BS. That's the company trying to justify downsizing their products. People who know they won't use a gallon before it sours don't buy gallons. Other people, like my mother, buy gallons because they are cheaper and freeze half until they need it.

[rob62521]

I would agree with you -- I don't buy bigger packages than I need because I hate to waste stuff.

Here's an article that talks about food prices going up due to nations hoarding food:

The Food Chain - Hoarding Nations Drive Food Costs Ever Higher - Series - NYTimes.com

[rob62521]

Here's an article on food packaging:

Solution, or Mess? A Milk Jug for a Green Earth - NYTimes.com