Ice Cream, Etc: This is just a mild complaint. Several years ago, I noticed that the Breyer's "half gallon" of ice cream was no longer a half gallon. It was three pints, rather than...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This is just a mild complaint.

Several years ago, I noticed that the Breyer's "half gallon" of ice cream was no longer a half gallon. It was three pints, rather than four. That's a significant difference. They did this, of course, to avoid making the price seem too high. The same thing has happened with almost all other products, from tuna fish to coffee to candy bars. Milton Hershey varied the size of his candy bars because he wanted to keep that five-cent price, regardless of the price of chocolate. Eventually, he stabilized the size, and raised the price.

I usually buy Stewart's ice cream because I get a full half gallon. Yesterday, I got Turkey Hill, and I was surprised at how fast it went. When manufacturers reduce the amount in the package, the price reduction is a false savings, and you miss out on part of the quantity. Figuring price per pint, you can actually pay more for less ice cream.

There. I'm done. Happy Thanksgiving!

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

It’s been a trend with manufacturers for years to reduce package quantities and keep the price the same. I’ve often wondered if this volume and price game is figured into the CPI since it has been going on during the periods when the CPI was indicating very low inflation when in fact we were paying more for significantly less product. I suspect that “grocery cart” prices are unit based and not volume based where volume could be a factor.

Stan

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

I'm waiting for them to do it for milk! But I'd probably notice right away. Remember when those big Hersheys bars were padsed out on Halloween? Now even the full sized ones are mini in comparison, and rarely passed out at all

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It didn't stop at ice cream.

16.oz. canned vegetables are 12-14 oz. What does that do to recipes that call for a 16 oz. can?
Condensed soup, same thing. Everyone gets a little less unless you want to add more water!
A pound of coffee or bacon??? Was 12-14 oz. also.
Look inside a box of crackers to see how much space there is in there now. They didn't shrink the box so it still looks the same to buyers.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

Try to find "bacon" in a can of Campbells "Bean and Bacon" soup!!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

StanMac wrote:

It’s been a trend with manufacturers for years to reduce package quantities and keep the price the same. I’ve often wondered if this volume and price game is figured into the CPI since it has been going on during the periods when the CPI was indicating very low inflation when in fact we were paying more for significantly less product. I suspect that “grocery cart” prices are unit based and not volume based where volume could be a factor.

Stan

Maybe the first time, but the prices got up anyway.
They can only reduce so much...
Just imagine needing four "cans" of tuna to make sandwiches for two people.
(That's what I'm waiting to see, he says sarcastically.)

YEARS ago someone asked why the package reduction, one manufacturer's response was "People want smaller portion packaging." - Horse hockey!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Longshadow wrote:

16.oz. canned vegetables are 12-14 oz. What does that do to recipes that call for a 16 oz. can?

Exactly! If we're putting smaller amounts into our recipes, why are we all thin?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

Exactly! If we're putting smaller amounts into our recipes, why are we all thin?

That and it won't taste exactly the same because the ingredients ratios are now different.

DAN Phillips Loc: Graysville, GA

A sign of the time, look for Jesus to come back soon!

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

jerryc41 wrote:

This is just a mild complaint. br br Several year... (show quote)

Not only is the packaging shrinking but the size of a dollar ain't what it use to be, we're getting screwed on both ends!!

gerdog

Most clever marketing scam was years ago when they started pricing carpet and other floor coverings by the square foot instead of the square yard. It looked like the new prices were lower, because the average person equates a yard with 3 feet. But because there are actually 9 square feet in 1 square yard, the new prices were a huge increase.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

gerdog wrote:

Most clever marketing scam was years ago when they started pricing carpet and other floor coverings by the square foot instead of the square yard. It looked like the new prices were lower, because the average person equates a yard with 3 feet. But because there are actually 9 square feet in 1 square yard, the new prices were a huge increase.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Jerry
I worked for Food Fair in the produce dept. while I was in high school ('51- '54) and what you described was going on then.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

When I worked for Kraft/Nabisco they had a policy "If the customer is satisfied with 60% quality then that is what we give them we are in business to make money not quality", I hated that statement.

jerryc41 wrote:

This is just a mild complaint. br br Several year... (show quote)

Bunko.T Loc: Western Australia.

jerryc41 wrote:

This is just a mild complaint. br br Several year... (show quote)

It's happening here too. The volume is reduced & price goes up. Sneaky way to raise the profit.
Beers here are a prime example. Used to be 375ml cans & stubbies. Now 330 ml but price continues same or up.