Witnessed Shrinkflation Up Close Today

[John Galt III]

We need to start complaining about the negative environmental impact of these small packages.

Companies don't care about us squawking about getting less. They do care about being rightfully accused of adding unnecessary waste to our landfills. Small packages have more waste per product.

This bugs me too! The good news is that I have seen some 48 ounce cans (used to be that 34 ounce was the largest size, with lots of 26 ounce cans also) ) of coffee showing up at Walmart and another discount store I go to. Those are the ones I buy, if they are cheaper per ounce. Sometimes they are not the best deal per ounce, though.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

A very long list of shrinkflation examples (124!), some of which have already been discussed here:

https://aworkstation.com/124-of-the-worst-examples-of-shrinkflation-shared-in-this-online-group/

 

[John Galt III]

We have several different sizes in Canada...6, 8, 12, 15, 18, 24, and now even 30 packs.

Yeah, 30-packs are what I get if I am buying domestic macrobrewery beer. But for the last year or so I have been on a blow-that-dough mission and am only buying craft beer, which is expensive. However, I have been able to always buy the craft beer on steep discount, in the clearance rack at the beer store, and keep my beer larder fully stocked with a wide variety of styles. The full price craft beer is absurdly expensive ($40, $50 and $60 for a case of 24 12-ouncers). But the clearance stuff is $19 to $24 per case! I have noticed that there are a lot more pint cans out there now. More efficient from a packaging point of view. Less to recycle per ounce. And cheaper per ounce, since they don't seem to increase the price for the pints as opposed to the 12 ouncers.

 

[JoeWras]

A very long list of shrinkflation examples (124!), some of which have already been discussed here:

https://aworkstation.com/124-of-the-worst-examples-of-shrinkflation-shared-in-this-online-group/

Oh this is great! There's a lot of laughs here, but it will also make you mad.

When I speak of the environmental impact, I'm just talking geometry. A cube or cylinder of "2" has less than 2 times the surface area of a "1" size, hence more waste material per product for smaller packages.

But the examples in the above list show a bunch of shrinkage where they kept the same container and just put in less, or put "false walls" inside the package which not only add more material, but also give less product.

Ridiculous.

 

[CaptTom]

A very long list of shrinkflation examples (124!), some of which have already been discussed here:

https://aworkstation.com/124-of-the-worst-examples-of-shrinkflation-shared-in-this-online-group/

That link should be required viewing before anyone is allowed to step into any retail establishment! Honestly I don't know why there's no push-back from consumers. Apparently manufacturers feel justified in assuming we're either too stupid to notice or too apathetic to care.

I noticed another trick was removing pounds or ounces from the label in lieu of grams. Anything to make comparison shopping harder.

 

[JoeWras]

That link should be required viewing before anyone is allowed to step into any retail establishment! Honestly I don't know why there's no push-back from consumers. Apparently manufacturers feel justified in assuming we're either too stupid to notice or too apathetic to care.

I noticed another trick was removing pounds or ounces from the label in lieu of grams. Anything to make comparison shopping harder.

Probably outside the USA, likely Canada since they were using $ for comparison. Doesn't matter, your point is valid.

This list showed some push-back discussions on Twitter or Instagram and the responses from the company were ridiculous, especially the "stronger coffee per weight" answer. Give me a break.

 

[NW-Bound]

A very long list of shrinkflation examples (124!), some of which have already been discussed here:

https://aworkstation.com/124-of-the-worst-examples-of-shrinkflation-shared-in-this-online-group/

Very funny.

But wait until they shrink your car too.

Your new EV will be like this. You can zoom in and see the legend "Lithium Power" on the door.

 

[homestead]

Very funny.

But wait until they shrink your car too.

Your new EV will be like this. You can zoom in and see the legend "Lithium Power" on the door.

This car is so small there is no room for a steering wheel, just handlebars!

 

[Koolau]

Very funny.

But wait until they shrink your car too.

Your new EV will be like this. You can zoom in and see the legend "Lithium Power" on the door.

Makes the SmartForTwo look HUGE!

Actually, years ago, I visited my Uncle in one of those 55+ communities (more like 75+) but everyone had a golf cart and drove them on the streets all the way to the shopping areas. Regular cars and golf carts co-existed, legally, I guess. Beyond the community, it was all cars again. Not sure whether there was an actual legal area for golf carts or if it was just an understanding. YMMV

 

[Chuckanut]

This car is so small there is no room for a steering wheel, just handlebars!

Steering wheel? How quaint. Obviously it is self driving.
The small size is also a great incentive to make it self-passengering perhaps via a holographic image of a human being. No human needed in it at all. The car scoots down the roads looking cute all on its own.

 

[aja8888]

Today's shrinkflation.

Went to WM and picked up Mennen deodorant (roll on kind). Old size - 3.0 oz (by weight), new size - 2.7 oz.

 

[Phroig]

Many European beers have been 11.2 oz for a while now. Scotch still comes in standard sizes, and prices haven’t increased too much.

 

[Koolau]

Today's shrinkflation.

Went to WM and picked up Mennen deodorant (roll on kind). Old size - 3.0 oz (by weight), new size - 2.7 oz.

Let me guess. Same size bottle!

 

[aja8888]

Let me guess. Same size bottle!

A teensie bit smaller overall. Hard to notice. They are very slick in packaging and most people wouldn't know the difference.

 

[NW-Bound]

A teensie bit smaller overall. Hard to notice. They are very slick in packaging and most people wouldn't know the difference.

Not until you take it home.

I like this one in the article shared by GalaxyBoy. These guys are comically inventive.

 

[Turbo29]

Probably outside the USA, likely Canada since they were using $ for comparison. Doesn't matter, your point is valid.

This list showed some push-back discussions on Twitter or Instagram and the responses from the company were ridiculous, especially the "stronger coffee per weight" answer. Give me a break.

The Folger's was featured a month or so ago in the Costco Connections magazine. Their spiel there was that the lighter weight gave the same number of cups and because it was lighter it helped fight climate change because it took less energy to ship.

 

[JoeWras]

The Folger's was featured a month or so ago in the Costco Connections magazine. Their spiel there was that the lighter weight gave the same number of cups and because it was lighter it helped fight climate change because it took less energy to ship.

Ah ha! They are using my environmental argument against me.

 

[CaptTom]

Probably outside the USA, likely Canada since they were using $ for comparison...

Actually, I noticed in our local (US) stores that they're switching around the weight units (both US or metric) to make the math harder when comparison shopping. How many grams in a pound again?

And don't count on those "per unit" price tags on the shelves. No great conspiracy here, it's just that the employees struggle with the math, or the concept of comparing two products. I've seen numbers which are flat out wrong. Other times they're inconsistent; one is labeled "per each" and the competitor's product next to it is labeled by weight.

 

[Music Lover]

Actually, I noticed in our local (US) stores that they're switching around the weight units (both US or metric) to make the math harder when comparison shopping. How many grams in a pound again?

And don't count on those "per unit" price tags on the shelves. No great conspiracy here, it's just that the employees struggle with the math, or the concept of comparing two products. I've seen numbers which are flat out wrong. Other times they're inconsistent; one is labeled "per each" and the competitor's product next to it is labeled by weight.

Costco up here (Canada) lists both the price of the item along with the price per 100 grams price which makes it very simple to compare prices. I believe a couple other grocery stores also do that.

 

[Koolau]

Not until you take it home.

I like this one in the article shared by GalaxyBoy. These guys are comically inventive.

I hope some bean counter comes running into the Presidents office some day shouting "The 'stealth packaging' is costing us more than the goop inside, boss!"

 

[Surewhitey]

I hope some bean counter comes running into the Presidents office some day shouting "The 'stealth packaging' is costing us more than the goop inside, boss!"

There's actually a law in Cali against deception of packaging, slack-fill.

A couple of things I recall were exempt was drugs that needed space for information purposes and potato chip bags with air for protection from breaking all the big chips.

Mucinex was one that was sued for only 10% of the bottle for pills and lots of cotton balls...

 

[GravitySucks]

That link should be required viewing before anyone is allowed to step into any retail establishment! Honestly I don't know why there's no push-back from consumers. Apparently manufacturers feel justified in assuming we're either too stupid to notice or too apathetic to care.

I noticed another trick was removing pounds or ounces from the label in lieu of grams. Anything to make comparison shopping harder.

Grams would make it easier to comparison shop.

The one that gets me is an item mark price per pound while a similar item right next to it is marked price per ounce. I'm looking at you Aldi.

I bought some chicken sausages and putting them in the freezer noticed they are in 13 oz packages, not a pound as they were. They were marked down freeze or use by tomorrow 50 cents a package, bought all 6 that were there and am not going to complain however.

 

[scrabbler1]

Actually, I noticed in our local (US) stores that they're switching around the weight units (both US or metric) to make the math harder when comparison shopping. How many grams in a pound again?

And don't count on those "per unit" price tags on the shelves. No great conspiracy here, it's just that the employees struggle with the math, or the concept of comparing two products. I've seen numbers which are flat out wrong. Other times they're inconsistent; one is labeled "per each" and the competitor's product next to it is labeled by weight.

I remember trying to compare unit pricing for 2 similar (liquid) items. One label had it in dollars per pound, the other dollars per quart. Useless.

 

[JoeWras]

Speaking of grams... In that link, you'll see a lot of people put the product on a scale and read out the weight reading, usually in grams. I personally find these scales to be an essential kitchen tool. Get one if you don't have one!

Anyway, the point is not metric, but rather that people were finding the product was marked wrong. The producer was already cheating down the weight before changing the packaging. Although trickery is possible here and people are faking this, I don't doubt that it is really happening.

 

[NW-Bound]

Speaking of grams... In that link, you'll see a lot of people put the product on a scale and read out the weight reading, usually in grams. I personally find these scales to be an essential kitchen tool. Get one if you don't have one!

Anyway, the point is not metric, but rather that people were finding the product was marked wrong. The producer was already cheating down the weight before changing the packaging. Although trickery is possible here and people are faking this, I don't doubt that it is really happening.

I wonder if the local state government has the time to investigate this if you report it.

A sting operation to levy a big fine, followed with reporting by the local media will scare the cheating vendors.