Consumers Getting Less Food for the Same Prices

[JLK]

WJLA piece.

It wasn't long ago that yogurt makers decided us to short us an ounce and charge the same price. Now I'm noticing it with milk (3/4 of a gallon instead of a full gallon) and ice cream (1.5 quarts from Edy's that looks normal until you put it side by side the carton you bought a month ago). It's pretty genius actually because many people would never take the time to investigate the matter. But I noticed, and I'm ticked.

[pizza man]

Beef jerky has also gone down an ounce or two for the same$

[monavano]

WJLA piece.

It wasn't long ago that yogurt makers decided us to short us an ounce and charge the same price. Now I'm noticing it with milk (3/4 of a gallon instead of a full gallon) and ice cream (1.5 quarts from Edy's that looks normal until you put it side by side the carton you bought a month ago). It's pretty genius actually because many people would never take the time to investigate the matter. But I noticed, and I'm ticked.

I saw this piece and thought that it is a rather deceptive practice. Manufacturers can claim that it's because food prices are rising, but to me it's plain subterfuge.

[Mrs. B]

Et tu Cheerio?

This is an even suckier example because the packaging has been changed to make it appear larger on the shelf, the weight has gone down and the price has increased.

[mdt]

This was done a while ago when candy bars got smaller for the same amount. IIRC some research was done that found that consumers would be more amenable to a smaller bar for the same price versus the same bar for a higher price.

[legant]

This really isn't news. I remember this happening to coffee during some sort of bean crisis in the 70s or 80s. What was once a 16 oz can is now 11.5 oz. But the yogurt down-sizing really burns me. Think about all the recipes that call for a cup of yogurt. Are recipe writers taking that into consideration and adding other ingredients to make up for the 2 less ounces?

[mdt]

It's not just canned tuna - it's the invisible grocery store shrink ray!

http://consumerist.com/tag/grocery-shrink-ray

Instead of raising the price, they shrink the size.

Been going on for years. Look at candy bars, single bags of chips, "1/2" gallons of ice cream...

[deangold]

But my freaking retail pack jar of Hellman's mayo is now 30 ounces! A recipe of deviled eggs takes 32 oz! Bah humbug.

[leleboo]

This isn't news, but I can't find the other thread I am sure exists complaining about shrinking stuff!

[because it was from the thread on canned tuna. ]

[deangold]

Well at least they are used together! Smaller Tuna and smaller mayo! Thanks for the diet aid!

[mdt]

I heard on the news over the weekend that Tropicana is reducing the size of their most popular carton due to increases in the price of oranges.

[DonRocks]

I blame Lafite-Rothschild for starting all of this.

Is your double magnum just a magnum these days?

For decades, a ".750" of Chateau Lafite was only 730 ml. Sometime between 1976 (which is 730 ml) and 1979 (which is 750 ml), they changed to the standard-sized bottle.

[deangold]

I knew that.. I think the issue is that the BATF would not accept bottles that are not standard sized any more and Lafite's exemption ran out. I had a bottle of Mascarello Bartolo Brunello 1959 from a 1.9 liter that would be illegal to import these days!