No, you’re not imagining it — package sizes are shrinking

[onthedarkside]

Bottles of Gatorade are pictured, left, a 32 fluid ounce and 28 fluid ounce, in Glenside, Pa., Monday, June 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

 

It’s the inflation you’re not supposed to see.

 

From toilet paper to yogurt and coffee to corn chips, manufacturers are quietly shrinking package sizes without lowering prices. It’s dubbed “shrinkflation,” and it’s accelerating worldwide.

 

In the U.S., a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues; a few months ago, it had 65. Chobani Flips yogurts have shrunk from 5.3 ounces to 4.5 ounces. In the U.K., Nestle slimmed down its Nescafe Azera Americano coffee tins from 100 grams to 90 grams. In India, a bar of Vim dish soap has shrunk from 155 grams to 135 grams.

 

Shrinkflation isn’t new. But it proliferates in times of high inflation as companies grapple with rising costs for ingredients, packaging, labor and transportation.

 

(more)

 

https://apnews.com/article/india-prices-business-d2c8279d39e1304f5623b3a99b56b8cc

 

 

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

I always said Mars Bars were getting smaller, but they laughed sat me!

[CharlieH]

I always thought it was the content that was shrinking not the package size, giving the impression it was the same but actually getting less for your money in most instances.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

50 years ago, my father described this to me as the "Great American Marketing Principle".......... "Don't raise the price, make the package smaller." Then, later, come out with the 'Economy Size/Family Size ' that reintroduced the now higher priced original size as a 'bargain' (because it's now cheaper per ounce than the smaller size.)"

 

Lol

 

From this I learned......... 

 

It's not what you pay that defines 'value.' It's what you get for what you pay that defines 'value!'

 

This has been second-nature to me for most  of my life. I've tried to teach it to my wife............ It's hopeless! 

 

I was not pleased when the Peanut M&Ms bag went down to 180g from 200g, for the same price. Of course, when that change occurred, they ran a "sale" on them to give the impression you're getting a "deal." - - - - Price "on sale" was about 4% lower......... but the package had shrunk by 10%!!! 

 

Hahahaha

[ChaiyaTH]

36 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

I always thought it was the content that was shrinking not the package size, giving the impression it was the same but actually getting less for your money in most instances.

That's true in many cases, often it was even before these practices already. Which is not only messing with us as consumers but also takes more space in logistics, thus polluting the planet and costs for shipping it.

 

Worst case of all this, they usually first shrink to then later on still do a price hike on top of that. So they take us for a ride twice + make more profit they did beforehand, so it was never about 'covering inflation costs'.

This while the smaller entrepreneurs or those offering products and services do need to raise their prices but are often not able to do so as that would kill their business and employment becomes a better deal.

[FolkGuitar]

'Three Musketeers' candy bar used to advertise as 'the candy bar you can share with two other friends.' The bar had three distinct sections so it could be broken into thirds. It's now a normal rectangular bar, smaller than a Snickers bar.

[ballpoint]

In related news, a certain crisps manufacturer, recently celebrating 75 years of business, has just revealed it is about to finish its first sack of potatoes.  However, it has worn out around 50 industrial air compressors in that time.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

By the way, I give special credit to those merchants who put price-per-unit on their shelf tags, since price-per-unit is really the only way to compare. 

 

Being an American with my "Super Size Me/Economy Size" mentality.............. I was pretty surprised how often I could buy the smaller sizes in Thailand at cheaper-per-unit prices than the larger sizes.

 

Since packaging and handling cost money.......... and smaller sizes inevitably use more of both............ this made no sense to me (and still doesn't). 

 

(Example: Jack n Jill Cheese Ring snacks. [The best "American flavor" fake cheese snack I've found in the chips/crisps aisle! Lol] I can buy the bulk pack of 12 of the smallest bags............. for 20% cheaper than a single larger bag; a bag that gives me exactly 1 gram more of this succulent cheesy snack, than the 12 smaller bags combined! 555!

 

Want 56 grams? 4 ea. 14g smaller bags for 16 baht vs 1 ea. 57g bag, for 20 baht. Use scissors to quickly open and toss them into a cup, save 20%! 555

 

Does the 4 baht saved mean anything to me? Not really. It's FOUR BAHT! lol But beating the system? Now that.........! Lol!) 

 

Cheers! 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I’ve seen the incredible shrinking Cadbury blocks go bit by bit from 250 gram to 180 gram. The Green and Black has dropped from 100 to 90. At some stage it stops being a chocolate block and becomes a chocolate bar. 

[KanchanaburiGuy]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

That's true in many cases, often it was even before these practices already. Which is not only messing with us as consumers but also takes more space in logistics, thus polluting the planet and costs for shipping it.

 

Worst case of all this, they usually first shrink to then later on still do a price hike on top of that. So they take us for a ride twice + make more profit they did beforehand, so it was never about 'covering inflation costs'.

This while the smaller entrepreneurs or those offering products and services do need to raise their prices but are often not able to do so as that would kill their business and employment becomes a better deal.

Hmmm. 

 

Do you come across a lot of products that don't put the size or weight on the outside of the package? No? 

 

Cuz if they are........... then it's not THEM that's "messing with you." They're telling you exactly what you are getting. 

 

What's happening here, actually, is YOU are being a lazy consumer........... and blaming them for it! 

 

No one ever promised you that nothing would ever change. Indeed, the old adage is as true today as it has ever been........... "The only constant is change!"

 

You as a consumer need to be aware of this. And that's why you......... as the consumer......... need to constantly pay attention! 

 

No one is "messing with us." They tell us on the outside of the package exactly what we'll get for the price we pay. We, then, get to decide for ourselves if that's acceptable, or not. 

 

When my beloved Peanut M&Ms went from 200g to 180g, I knew it right away. Because I pay attention! 

 

If the bottle or can says it contains 330ml, and that's what it contains, then no one is "messing with you."

 

If it says it contains 330ml and DOESN'T............ well, THAT'S a other matter! ????????????

 

Cheers! 

[KhunLA]

Y'all entitled folks, things could be worse you know ... appreciate what you have ????

 

 

[spidermike007]

We are seeing rampant hyper inflation around the world now. Who do we have to thank for that? Putin, who is completely unhinged, for one. And the massive corporate gouging taking place, using Covid as a cover.

 

We see some of that here, on imported products. So far, I have not seen alot of inflation here. Some. Not alot. Been back to the US a couple of times recently, and it is positively out of control.

 

 

[Sheist]

And 640l local beer down to 620l, but that was a few years ago.  

[SunsetT]

10 hours ago, CharlieH said:

I always thought it was the content that was shrinking not the package size, giving the impression it was the same but actually getting less for your money in most instances.

In Thailand 'Cheers' beer are the champions of this. Their 'large' 610ml bottles look bigger than all their competitors which contain more beer; even Beer Archa, the only beer to still contain 640ml.

[Tubulat]

This week with toothpaste, from 170 to 150 gram, and you know showing "Now Promotion" they are scammers.

The same with tuna in can, same can, less content, and so on, they really think the people are retarded.

[Stargeezr]

Greed is the only reason for this.

[WebGuy]

And all of those snacks, 70g inside and the bag is bigger 10 times filled with air. Psychological games with goods consumers

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

I always said Mars Bars were getting smaller, but they laughed sat me!

Maybe your hands just grew bigger?

[KanchanaburiGuy]

15 hours ago, WebGuy said:

And all of those snacks, 70g inside and the bag is bigger 10 times filled with air. Psychological games with goods consumers

The air and space are in those chips/crisps bags to ensure you get potato chips when you open them, and not just potato chip DUST. 

 

But, of course, if you'd prefer the dust......... ????????????

 

This is why many products......... (in America, anyway)......... have the disclaimer.......... "Filled by weight, not by volume."

 

In addition, chips bags are "over-sized" to compensate for pressure changes at different elevations.

 

I once bought two bags of Lay's in Sacramento...... (low elevation)........ and by the time I got to Lake Tahoe........... (high elevation)........... I could have used them for footballs! I was frankly amazed they didn't *POP*  ????????????

 

Had I been going the other way......... my "footballs!" might have turned into worthless floppy sacks, incapable of preventing chip crushing! 

 

DUST! 

 

-----------------

 

Me? As a rule, I try to understand the reasonable and rational explanations......... BEFORE........ I jump to sinister conclusions of greed and deception. But, hey, that's just me! 

 

????????????

 

Cheers!