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Witnessed Shrinkflation Up Close Today
Old 06-18-2022, 08:38 PM   #1
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Witnessed Shrinkflation Up Close Today

Was over at the grocery store in the morning.

Saw a loaf of bread for about $3.30. The saw a 1/2 loaf of bread for about $2.30. Oh there were also shrinkflationed hamburger buns too.

I guess this is like when folks can't afford a full tank of gas, so fill only 1/4 or 1/2 tank. Still costs the same. Or in the case of shrunken groceries, maybe costs even more.
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Maybe you’ve noticed that your bag of chips from the grocery store just doesn’t seem as full, or the roll of toilet paper doesn’t last as long, but yet the price on the product hasn’t risen like everything else, so that’s a good thing, right?
Experts are saying that this might just be the way that companies are cutting costs without consumers recognizing it using a tactic called “shrinkflation,” which is a phrase that is easily described as package downsizing. It is done in a manner in which manufacturers quietly shrink package sizes without lowering prices.
Shrinkflation usually increases in times of high inflation as companies are grasping with higher costs themselves and with the added high gas prices, some are looking to make up the difference somehow.
Most of the time this strategy works as manufacturers know consumers are more likely to notice price increases, but don’t always catch the smaller details like a slight change to the amount of tissues in a box or the weight of a bag of chips.
https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/...cdcb4b5b2.html
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Old 06-18-2022, 08:42 PM   #2
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RE: my post a while back on Walmart no-name bleach going for $4.12 a jug. Pre-pandemic price was $0.89. But the jug is not a gallon like it used to be....it's 81 ounces (5/8 of a gallon).
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Old 06-18-2022, 09:59 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by easysurfer View Post
Was over at the grocery store in the morning.

Saw a loaf of bread for about $3.30. The saw a 1/2 loaf of bread for about $2.30. Oh there were also shrinkflationed hamburger buns too.

I guess this is like when folks can't afford a full tank of gas, so fill only 1/4 or 1/2 tank. Still costs the same. Or in the case of shrunken groceries, maybe costs even more.

https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/...cdcb4b5b2.html
It's for our health.

Will see if Americans lose weigh in the days ahead.
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Old 06-19-2022, 04:46 AM   #4
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I'm waiting for gas stations to start listing prices by the liter.
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Old 06-19-2022, 05:23 AM   #5
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The market does exactly what we let it.

If, for example, we had not bought the brands of ice cream which started selling slightly less than half-gallon sizes years ago, they'd have quickly gone back to the old packaging.

But we stupidly kept buying them every time the amount of product in a carton got smaller. I don't even know what it's down to now for the "large" cartons.

You can never overestimate the stupidity of the average person. I don't blame the manufacturers for taking advantage of that. I try to avoid the shrunken packages, hoping others will do the same. It hasn't happened yet.
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Old 06-19-2022, 06:09 AM   #6
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Can't swear to it but I seem to recall past packages of Italian sausage having six pieces. Last week there were only five.
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Old 06-19-2022, 06:23 AM   #7
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RE: my post a while back on Walmart no-name bleach going for $4.12 a jug. Pre-pandemic price was $0.89. But the jug is not a gallon like it used to be....it's 81 ounces (5/8 of a gallon).
Bleach I can see less than a gallon as may take awhile to go through a gallon. Even milk, I'll accept 3/4 gallon of milk. But 1/2 loaf of bread ... a couple of bites and time for another half loaf. Regardless, not at shrinkflation prices... ouch!
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Old 06-19-2022, 06:30 AM   #8
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Yeah, this week's Sam's trip pretty much everything was inflated. Coffee was up another $2/bag, 4 avacados vs the prior 5, half & half ($1.80 to $2.40 in the past couple of months) & bacon up again... Seems like a 10% across everything but steak.
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Old 06-19-2022, 06:34 AM   #9
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Can't swear to it but I seem to recall past packages of Italian sausage having six pieces. Last week there were only five.
Yes! This hit me. I buy the stuff once a year when DW goes away and get to grill whatever I want.

Only 5 this time!

I don't typically get ice cream but I decided to walk through the isle. All the cartons looked like a bunch of miniatures. Lady in front of me grabbed a carton of ice cream and what came out was what we used to get with a standard yogurt cup.
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Old 06-19-2022, 06:42 AM   #10
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Somehow, I expected a different thread after reading the title…. More like that Seinfeld episode….
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Old 06-19-2022, 07:05 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by CaptTom View Post
If, for example, we had not bought the brands of ice cream which started selling slightly less than half-gallon sizes years ago, they'd have quickly gone back to the old packaging.

But we stupidly kept buying them every time the amount of product in a carton got smaller. I don't even know what it's down to now for the "large" cartons.

You can never overestimate the stupidity of the average person.
I'm not stupid. I just really, really, really love ice cream But I agree, we tell the market what we want by what we buy. That's why I don't buy things in stores on holidays (including gas) - I'd rather they be closed for their employees.

BTW - Costco still sells 1/2 gallons (x2) of ice cream and that's my primary source. Ben and Jerry's quality at Costco prices!
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Old 06-19-2022, 07:08 AM   #12
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When a case of beer doesn't have 24 bottles it will get my attention.
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Old 06-19-2022, 08:01 AM   #13
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When a case of beer doesn't have 24 bottles it will get my attention.
This.

Although 4-packs of craft beers have become the norm. A norm I don't like.

Maybe I should get off my lazy butt and make beer (again).
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Old 06-19-2022, 08:03 AM   #14
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Somehow, I expected a different thread after reading the title…. More like that Seinfeld episode….
Same here!
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Old 06-19-2022, 08:12 AM   #15
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When a case of beer doesn't have 24 bottles it will get my attention.
So is this okay? Still 24 bottles but only 7oz each and not the usual 12oz.


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Old 06-19-2022, 08:15 AM   #16
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Somehow, I expected a different thread after reading the title…. More like that Seinfeld episode….
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Same here!
Not that there's anything wrong with that .
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Old 06-19-2022, 08:22 AM   #17
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When a case of beer doesn't have 24 bottles it will get my attention.
18s are a thing now.
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Old 06-19-2022, 08:46 AM   #18
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I don't typically get ice cream but I decided to walk through the isle. All the cartons looked like a bunch of miniatures. Lady in front of me grabbed a carton of ice cream and what came out was what we used to get with a standard yogurt cup.
And those yogurts seem to keep getting smaller than they used to be.
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Old 06-19-2022, 09:12 AM   #19
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And those yogurts seem to keep getting smaller than they used to be.
Used to be all 8oz. New standard is 6 and 4.
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Old 06-19-2022, 09:16 AM   #20
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If they are going to downsize at least drop it to a size that divides evenly into the old size so I can keep recipe proportions correct! I guess it would be too obvious if the 16oz can became 8, 4, or 2oz! I'm not fooled by the cost increase but it's really irritating in the kitchen.
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