Sign of the apocalypse

[Masquernom]

Just opened a new pack of Charmin toilet paper. The rolls are about 1/2 inch narrower than the last pack we bought. I guess everything is shrinking like the candy bars now.

 

[target2019]

We are sure to be wiped out in the Apocalypse.

 

[CaptTom]

Have you tried to buy an 8-ounce cup of yogurt lately? How about a half-gallon of ice cream?

These manufacturers must think we're stupid.

And, judging from the fact that we put up with this crap, apparently they're right.

 

[Aerides]

Costco actually announced their paper towels were made smaller (less sheets on the roll) during the height of the shortages, to help more people get packs. I mean they could have just sold smaller packs, but nah.

 

[Time2]

Have you tried to buy an 8-ounce cup of yogurt lately? How about a half-gallon of ice cream?

These manufacturers must think we're stupid.

And, judging from the fact that we put up with this crap, apparently they're right.

I like to stop at Chik-fil-a and get a large Chocolate shake. I think it was $4.17. I went yesterday, and was told all the have is a small (she may have said medium). I said, "since when" she said, "we changed our menu about a month ago" So, now I get a smaller shake for $3.95. I'll be going to Publix or Winn Dixie for my ice cream from now on.

 

[Winemaker]

The 2 cubic foot bags of mulch are now 1.5 cubic foot size at the HD.

 

[audreyh1]

Costco actually announced their paper towels were made smaller (less sheets on the roll) during the height of the shortages, to help more people get packs. I mean they could have just sold smaller packs, but nah.

Seriously? When was this?

I hadn’t noticed smaller rolls.

 

[frayne]

That's pretty shitty of Charmin.

 

[MRG]

Have you tried to buy an 8-ounce cup of yogurt lately? How about a half-gallon of ice cream?

These manufacturers must think we're stupid.

And, judging from the fact that we put up with this crap, apparently they're right.

+1

The only thing they haven't shrunk is a 12oz beer.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

There was an article on this subject, called "shrinkflation," in yesterday's Washington Post. The link is probably behind a paywall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/01/package-sizes-shrink-inflation/

The writer noted that this phenomenon tends to occur during periods of economic downturns, such as the 2008 recession and the current pandemic.

One example cited in the article was cat food going from a 5.9oz can to a 5.1oz can. Royal Canin stated they did this to keep up with increased demand during the pandemic. Quoting from the article:

“The cans remained the same price, as the difference in amount of product is not significant and rarely impacts the number of cans being fed to the cat,” Roland Hooley, a company vice president, said in a statement.

In other words, "Screw you, you probably won't notice anyway."

 

[Andre1969]

On the subject of shrinkage, when did the default for ice cream shrink from 1/2 gallon to 1.75 liter? I know it's been awhile now, and had almost forgotten about it being 1/2 gallon, once upon a time. Back then, the container was brick-shaped, where now it's rounded on the corners, and tapers towards the bottom.

 

[NW-Bound]

Have you tried to buy an 8-ounce cup of yogurt lately? How about a half-gallon of ice cream?

Yesterday, I stepped on the scale, and found myself losing a few pounds. My BMI is now under 23. Gah! I have not been this skinny in decades. Won't be long until I am all skin and bones.

Earlier, when I put on my swimming trunk to go in the pool, noticed that I had to pull the waist string a lot tighter than I used to.

Thought I have been eating the same, but now there's the real reason. They are feeding me less.

Oh wait! I have been eating home-cooked meals. The package sizes should not have anything to do with my losing weight.

Maybe I have been more physically active recently with home projects. Or perhaps the summer heat causes me to eat less, and not realize it.

 

[savory]

They haven't shrunk bidets yet.

 

[jollystomper]

I noticed another example of shrinkage when buying mulch. Home Depot has a sale, 5 bags for $10, which they seem to have annually. However, this year, the bags were 1.5 cubic feet, not 2 cubic feet. At least Walmart had the same type of mulch for <$2 for a 2 cubic foot bag.

 

[6miths]

On the subject of shrinkage, when did the default for ice cream shrink from 1/2 gallon to 1.75 liter? I know it's been awhile now, and had almost forgotten about it being 1/2 gallon, once upon a time. Back then, the container was brick-shaped, where now it's rounded on the corners, and tapers towards the bottom.

Yes many of these things are clearly money grabs and most are environmentally unfriendly. One of my pet peeves are the plastic 'jars' that things like salsa and apple sauce come in. They have huge concave bottoms lessening volume and all kinds of internal ribbing which makes it impossible to empty the contents entirely and even difficult to rinse them clean for recycling.

Also in the name of environment fertilizer producers have left the phosphorous out of most of their residential products except those for new sod or seed. No reduction in cost though which you think might be possible when you omit one of the three components of the product.

 

[target2019]

1/2 inch narrower roll is something. But the amount of virgin fiber in the roll is more important. A break-through topic for consideration...

 

[EastWest Gal]

Tuna cans. More and more water/oil. Less tuna. It was 6 oz when I was a kid. Now it's just above 4 oz. If I make a salad with veggies and canned tuna, I just drain and put the whole can in the salad.

No wonder we're having trouble getting enough protein in our diet.

 

[Jerry1]

My frustration is with the perforation. Seems like none of the sheets tear cleanly. Same with paper towels. I guess they’re too cheap to maintain their cutting equipment?

 

[Steeler75]

Premium Coffee is another product that has shrunk; used to be a pound of coffee which has changed to 12oz...

 

[braumeister]

I think you get what you pay for. All you folks who buy that mass market TP are missing out on the good things in life.

Artisanal Toilet paper is environmentally friendly, multi-cultural and entirely hand-made by our villagers in the hills of Umbria, our reincarnated Goddesses and our Kyrgyzstani spiders.

Or something like that.

 

[REWahoo]

I think you get what you pay for. All you folks who buy that mass market TP are missing out on the good things in life.

Artisanal Toilet paper is environmentally friendly, multi-cultural and entirely hand-made by our villagers in the hills of Umbria, our reincarnated Goddesses and our Kyrgyzstani spiders.

Or something like that.

You failed to point out that it is also gender neutral, which is increasingly important in today's world.

 

[Car-Guy]

Mine are all prepandemic so I'm still "rolling"

 

[CaptTom]

Shrinkage is a huge pet peeve for me.

I have a solution: Open a chain of stores with "full size" products. Just like the dollar store gets the manufacturers to make smaller packages so they can sell for a dollar, we get them to make the old size package again, and charge the appropriate price.

I'd shop there. I wouldn't mind paying a bit more. That's just normal inflation. It's trying to deceive us by shrinking the contents of the package which irks me.

 

[Chuckanut]

On the subject of shrinkage, when did the default for ice cream shrink from 1/2 gallon to 1.75 liter? I know it's been awhile now, and had almost forgotten about it being 1/2 gallon, once upon a time. Back then, the container was brick-shaped, where now it's rounded on the corners, and tapers towards the bottom.

1.75 liters?!?!!? My store sells 1.5 quarts in most brands.

Maybe it's a good thing. Considering how much I like ice cream, my health and trim, youthful physic are easier to maintain with the smaller sizes.

 

[Andre1969]

Seems to me that product shrinkage is awfully wasteful, and not exactly environmentally friendly. When they make the product slightly smaller, it still might use almost as much packaging. I forget the exact math behind it, but it's the same basic principle, that a 2000 square foot house does not use twice as much material as a 1000 square foot.

And I'm sure it takes just as much energy and effort to produce the product, transport it, and all that other fun stuff. So I'm surprised that there's really any savings at all. And, you're getting a worse ratio of packaging to product. Most of that packaging ends up at the dump, whether they tell you it's recyclable, or not.