Skimpflation

[easysurfer]

Inflation, shrinkflation and now there's skimpflation where companies change recipes to cut costs.

A trip to the grocery store is an expensive endeavor these days and with food prices surging, everyone is on the lookout for deals and ways to save. But there’s something else you should be looking for-- changes to your favorite products.

"This is now called Skimpflation, which means a manufacturer has reformulated one of its products, usually with cheaper ingredients,," says Dworsky, a former Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General in consumer protection. "It's a relatively new term. It was coined just a couple of years ago, and it's really hard to detect."

https://www.necn.com/news/local/ski...es-to-cut-costs-but-its-hard-to-tell/2859435/

 

[candrew]

Watering down the margarine is one thing. Don't even think about watering down the mezcal!

 

[Chuckanut]

My favorite brand of Pesto used to be made with 100% olive oil. Now it includes canola oil and cottonseed oil. Santa Mozzarella! What would my grandmother think?

I would rather my Italian-American relatives thought I was a Mafia hit man who steels lunch money from little kids, than somebody who uses Pesto made with cottonseed oil.

The silver lining is that I started raising Basil in the summer and making my own pesto.

 

[audreyh1]

Moral of the story - buy 100% butter!

Good reason to avoid processed food.

 

[JoeWras]

The automobile maker GM damn near died because of this.

The "recipe" was how to build a car. The time was the late 70s.

"Let's see, how much metal can we convert to brittle plastic? How much metal can we thin out? How much metal can we reformulate?"

The result? Engine block failures. Head failures. Window cranks that bent on the first usage. And just about every interior piece failing or falling off in a few years due to cheap plastic and cheap plastic fasteners.

 

[FindingForward]

They pulled this crap with prescription pet food - Hills prescription diet changed their formula, adding more water in place of chicken. What used to be a thick, sliceable consistency became a watery, soupy mess - a big difference.

No major issue if it were just regular pet food - just switch to another brand. But this is a formula available by prescription only. It is made to treat a specific medical condition and is the only option. Mfgr didn't even have the decency to alert stores or pet owners in advance. Animals have zero legal protection.

 

[Surewhitey]

Circa 2013...
Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark's chief operating officer, said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its product to its historic level of 45 percent, or 90 proof. Last week, it said it was lowering the amount to 42 percent, or 84 proof, because of a supply shortage.

"We've been tremendously humbled over the last week or so," Samuels, grandson of the brand's founder, said of customers' reactions.

 

[Sunset]

Circa 2013...
Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark's chief operating officer, said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its product to its historic level of 45 percent, or 90 proof. Last week, it said it was lowering the amount to 42 percent, or 84 proof, because of a supply shortage.

"We've been tremendously humbled over the last week or so," Samuels, grandson of the brand's founder, said of customers' reactions.

Sounds like BS , as they make it, and can make it whatever proof they want. Only issue is, with watered down booze they can sell more bottles. ...

 

[Sunset]

Companies are now going to extremes of skimpflation.

I got 4 new tires at Discount Tire , and they filled them to 30 lbs. My Van door frame clearly states it should be 35 lbs.
I had to go get 5 lbs of air for each tire myself

 

[Mark1]

Companies are now going to extremes of skimpflation.

I got 4 new tires at Discount Tire , and they filled them to 30 lbs. My Van door frame clearly states it should be 35 lbs.
I had to go get 5 lbs of air for each tire myself

That's nothing. Sometimes they skimp on the oxygen and only give my nitrogen when I fill up my tires.

 

[ls99]

That's nothing. Sometimes they skimp on the oxygen and only give my nitrogen when I fill up my tires.

Yer lucky. Some people pay extra for Nitrogen fill.

 

[Andre1969]

The automobile maker GM damn near died because of this.

The "recipe" was how to build a car. The time was the late 70s.

"Let's see, how much metal can we convert to brittle plastic? How much metal can we thin out? How much metal can we reformulate?"

The result? Engine block failures. Head failures. Window cranks that bent on the first usage. And just about every interior piece failing or falling off in a few years due to cheap plastic and cheap plastic fasteners.

A lot of that was actually government intervention, with a dose of inflation thrown in. If the automakers had their way, well GM was actually working on a new family of engines in the 500+ CID range! The first Arab oil embargo put a stop to that real fast.

GM was already starting to cheapen their interiors, though. It started with the big cars in '71 and the midsize in '73. The compacts were already pretty spartan inside to begin with, although they started doing petty things like deleting rear armrests in the back seat of the base Nova.

 

[Andre1969]

Companies are now going to extremes of skimpflation.

I got 4 new tires at Discount Tire , and they filled them to 30 lbs. My Van door frame clearly states it should be 35 lbs.
I had to go get 5 lbs of air for each tire myself

I think that's actually the norm. Unless you're getting OEM tires, the standard is to usually go with the recommended pressure of the tire itself, and not what it states on the doorjamb. They're not always the same.

 

[Amethyst]

This!! Prepare your own food. Good ingredients always did cost more, but at least you know what you're getting.

Of course that only works for food. I am using up the very last of a ream of computer printer paper, bought in the 90's. The weight of this paper must be twice that of a sheet of printer paper you can buy today.

Good reason to avoid processed food.

 

[Sunset]

I think that's actually the norm. Unless you're getting OEM tires, the standard is to usually go with the recommended pressure of the tire itself, and not what it states on the doorjamb. They're not always the same.

It might be the norm for car tires, but my van says to use 35 lbs.
They really probably just put in 30 lbs because that is common for cars, and the worker is too lazy to check every vehicle to see the precise pressure for that vehicle.

My tires only state a max pressure, no recommended pressure, as the tire doesn't know which vehicle it will end up on.

 

[NW-Bound]

Hey, even Costco has been doing Skimpflation.

Come on, give us back the Polish sausage, instead of just hot dog. And the Combo Pizza, instead of just Pepperoni.

I am willing to pay extra for the better stuff. And I am sure others do too.

 

[RobbieB]

I'm always ready to pay more for better stuff.

Which is why I don't buy Costco pizza or hot dogs -

 

[Samsung4321]

Then there is 'plump-flation':

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-tumbling-water-industrial-practice-additives

Very noticeable in USA and Europe where some chicken releases excessive water when cooked. Not in Australia.

Usually the cheap chicken breast meat - which, after allowing for the dilution, cost the same or more than the unadulterated meat.

In Australia, ALDI gained market share by claiming cheaper basket of groceries but the item weight / volume was less and the unit price more. Still fools the occasional innumerate or unaware.

 

[MarieIG]

The name may be new, but the practice is not. I do read ingredients. Anything with cottonseed oil would be immediately rejected.

DH always keeps the house well stocked with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

 

[Souschef]

here is one for you. I had a flat on my newly purchased Hyundai Accent. I opened the trunk, and was shocked to see no spare tire, no jack and jack handle, but a tire inflater and a box of sealant!
After I pumped up the tire so I could drive to the tire place, I went on line and bought the spare tire package with tire, jack and jack handle.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm always ready to pay more for better stuff.

Which is why I don't buy Costco pizza or hot dogs -

Eh, I don't eat hot dogs regularly, but Costco Combo pizzas ain't bad.

 

[HI Bill]

Sadly, many cars no longer come with spare tires.

 

[Jerry1]

Sadly, many cars no longer come with spare tires.

I’ve never had a flat that would have stranded me had I not had a spare but, I just don’t know if I could drive a car without a spare. Those doughnuts are bad enough, but no spare at all? Just doesn’t sit well.

 

[ERD50]

I think that's actually the norm. Unless you're getting OEM tires, the standard is to usually [-]go with the recommended pressure of the tire itself, and not what it states on the doorjamb. [/-] They're not always the same.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Please do not spread dangerously bad information.

Your tire only lists MAXIMUM allowed pressure. The manufacturer takes into account the weight and suspension of the car for the type/size of tires the car is designed for. The tire manufacturer doesn't know the weight of the car their tire is going on!

Always inflate your tires per your car's manual or the info on the door jamb.

If you have inflated your based on the tire sidewall, go get them adjusted ASAP, it is just not right.


https://www.tireoutlet.com/blog/3023/how-much-air-should-i-put-in-my-tires/

You'll also find the correct air pressure for your car's tires listed on a sticker located on the lower part of the driver-side door jamb. For many passenger cars, the recommended air pressure is 32 psi to 35 psi when the tires are cold.

There is also a tire pressure number shown on the sidewall of the tire itself. Don't inflate your tires based on this pressure. The pressure listed on the tire is the maximum amount of air it can hold, not the recommended pressure for optimum performance.

You are risking a blow out if you have the pressure set to the max, poor handling, and uneven tire wear.

Another source: https://tirehungry.com/should-i-fill-my-tires-to-max-psi/
-ERD50

 

[REWahoo]

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Please do not spread dangerously bad information.

Your tire only lists MAXIMUM allowed pressure. The manufacturer takes into account the weight and suspension of the car for the type/size of tires the car is designed for. The tire manufacturer doesn't know the weight of the car their tire is going on!

....

Always inflate your tires per your car's manual or the info on the door jamb.
You are risking a blow out if you have the pressure set to the max, poor handling, and uneven tire wear.

-ERD50

^ This. Definitely this.