Skimpflation - Food producers' new tactic
Dec 17, 2023 10:06:10 #
We all know food producers have been slowly reducing the volume, but not the price, of the foods we buy. A one pound can of coffee now contains 14 ounces, a 5-pound bag of sugar is now 4 pounds, etc.
The newest ways food producers cheat consumers to keep their profits up is to switch to cheaper ingredients. Sodas once sweetened with sugar now use cheaper corn syrup. Many times, taste suffers and the new ingredients are even less healthy. In some cases, negative customer feedback forced manufacturers to return to their previous ingredients.
Since the '70's I enjoyed Cheez-Its but about 5 years ago they simply stopped tasting cheesy so I stopped buying them. Suddenly this summer, Cheez-Its boxes announced they were "now cheesier" and guess what; they once again taste the same as the old Cheez-Its. I wonder if this is a case where customers forced Cheez-Its to return to their previous formulation. I wish others would do the same.
https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-high-prices-costs-making-food-snacks-sodas-worse-quality-2023-12
The newest ways food producers cheat consumers to keep their profits up is to switch to cheaper ingredients. Sodas once sweetened with sugar now use cheaper corn syrup. Many times, taste suffers and the new ingredients are even less healthy. In some cases, negative customer feedback forced manufacturers to return to their previous ingredients.
Since the '70's I enjoyed Cheez-Its but about 5 years ago they simply stopped tasting cheesy so I stopped buying them. Suddenly this summer, Cheez-Its boxes announced they were "now cheesier" and guess what; they once again taste the same as the old Cheez-Its. I wonder if this is a case where customers forced Cheez-Its to return to their previous formulation. I wish others would do the same.
https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-high-prices-costs-making-food-snacks-sodas-worse-quality-2023-12
Dec 17, 2023 10:52:50 #
Gosh darn free enterprise. Imagine the audacity of trying to make a profit. Consumers being cheated because they can’t read the label or make their own choices.
The only “cheating” going on is the quite reasonable decision by manufacturers not to make a big deal about these changes. You will never see advertising that says, “New Smaller Sizes!” or “New Cheaper Ingredients!” Still, consumers that don’t like the product or the prices have the simple recourse of keeping their money in their pockets, as you did with “Cheez-Its.”
The only “cheating” going on is the quite reasonable decision by manufacturers not to make a big deal about these changes. You will never see advertising that says, “New Smaller Sizes!” or “New Cheaper Ingredients!” Still, consumers that don’t like the product or the prices have the simple recourse of keeping their money in their pockets, as you did with “Cheez-Its.”
Dec 17, 2023 11:25:09 #
Dec 17, 2023 12:11:54 #
fourlocks wrote:
We all know food producers have been slowly reduci... (show quote)
Our local grocery chain used to sell a half dozen muffins for whatever price, then five muffins in the half dozen container for the same price (obvious change), now four muffins in a four pack container for the same price. I now buy my muffins from MacDonalds.
bwa
Dec 17, 2023 13:39:27 #
fourlocks wrote:
We all know food producers have been slowly reduci... (show quote)
Some prices are getting ridiculous! A medium order of french fries at McDonalds is now 4.00! Everyone knows how these fast-food places depend a lot on soda. A 2.00 soda is about .17 to make. Now it seems they are trying to make french fries a major profit item as well. I have all but stopped using fast-food restaurants. A few years ago I would go once or twice a week. Now I may go twice a month, maybe less. When buying a fast-food meal for three people tops 30.00, it's time to quit in my opinion.
Dec 17, 2023 13:41:46 #
Caribou
Loc: St. Louis, MO
It doesn't seem quite right to me (and I fully support free enterprise). I would rather see them raise the price than being so sneaky about it. You can bet a lot of executives are getting some pretty big bonuses for being so clever.
Dec 17, 2023 13:45:46 #
clint f.
Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa
Somebody do the math. How much volume of gasoline would you get if the price remained the same price as of December 2020.
Dec 17, 2023 15:47:51 #
bwana wrote:
Our local grocery chain used to sell a half dozen muffins for whatever price, then five muffins in the half dozen container for the same price (obvious change), now four muffins in a four pack container for the same price. I now buy my muffins from MacDonalds.
bwa
bwa
There is only one McDonad's in my town and I quit going there when they put the business emphasis on the drive through window. The last time I got anything there (around two years ago, or more) there were people inside waiting for over half an hour for an order because the manager said to tend to the drive through first and ignore the inside customers.
Dec 17, 2023 16:33:50 #
fourlocks wrote:
We all know food producers have been slowly reduci... (show quote)
I do agree that Cheez-Its took a real hit in the taste. I missed the upgrade advertisement but bought a box on sale last month. I fed most of them to the birds, or whatever cleans my outside table.
I do read the labels and have cut back on prepacked food because of it.
Biggest loss in my diet was when they took the Grease out of White Castle Hamburgers.
I switched to home cooked chicken soup and eat the fat from the skin.
Boris
Dec 17, 2023 17:04:18 #
I always laugh at myself and blow it off as punishment for eating garbage like that!
Dec 17, 2023 20:55:14 #
RiJoRi
Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC
I guess that's kind of an advantage to being diabetic – carbohydrates, whether simple (sugar) or complex (starches) make my blood sugar levels skyrocket!
So, only "slow food" for me!
So, only "slow food" for me!
Dec 17, 2023 22:33:17 #
I'm more concerned that I went to McDonald's. I specified "No Cheese, I have an allergy" When I got my food, the box had a label that indicated No Cheese but upon looking at my burger, They had taken the Cheese off and left a lot of melted residue. This would have put me in the hospital! I went in (remained calm and polite) and they gave me a new sandwich but NO apology. I then called the franchise owner, left a polite voice mail and asked that he call. He never did. McDonalds corporate customer service said they would call the franchise and tell them to call me. I specified that I wanted a phone call. The franchise sent me a generic response via email! Months later, still no call. McDonald's has lost me as a customer.
Now they want $20.00 an hour but don't want to do the job they were hired for.
Now they want $20.00 an hour but don't want to do the job they were hired for.
Dec 18, 2023 06:07:41 #
Bought an Oregon Farms bag of Organic Berries Mix, small print on back “fruit imported from Turkey”. But, it was printed on the bag and the berry mix was good.
Dec 18, 2023 07:13:05 #
whfowle
Loc: Tampa first, now Albuquerque
It's ironic that with the reduced size of the food products, we are not seeing a reduction in our waistline.
Dec 18, 2023 09:49:53 #
fourlocks wrote:
We all know food producers have been slowly reduci... (show quote)
This reminds me.....several years a go I used to get a vegetable snack cracker called "vegetable thins" I believe. Can't find them locally anymore & the ones I can get have no taste. Companies selling these deserve to go out of business.
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