Witnessed Shrinkflation Up Close Today

[Dtail]

Anybody notice that Costco TP is not as thick and soft as it was?
This last pack that we bought sure seems different!

At least our Cottonelle is the same as before.

 

[athena53]

I realized it had struck again this morning- I was making a drive to a recycling center. I now have to do this about once a month because my trash pickup company, which used to pick up recyclables for an extra charge, no longer does that. Yes they removed the extra charge- but the charge for pickup up of regular trash increased so I didn't get much of a break.

We do have other forms in the area but apparently they were overwhelmed with new customers and aren't accepting any more. I wonder how many people just throw recyclables into their opaque black trash bags for regular pickup.

 

[Badger]

I wonder how many people just throw recyclables into their opaque black trash bags for regular pickup.

We have trash and recycle on the same day once a week. If our area is any indication there are quite a lot of people that throw recyclables in the trash instead of the recycle bin. Since I ride in the early morning 10+ miles for exercise I see all the trash and recycle bins on the side of the road. It appears as if it is too much trouble for some people to separate the plastic, glass, and cans even though the bins are provided.

Cheers!

 

[Sue J]

We have trash and recycle on the same day once a week. If our area is any indication there are quite a lot of people that throw recyclables in the trash instead of the recycle bin. Since I ride in the early morning 10+ miles for exercise I see all the trash and recycle bins on the side of the road. It appears as if it is too much trouble for some people to separate the plastic, glass, and cans even though the bins are provided.

Cheers!

Our city recycling used to have us recycle just about everything, paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, metal food cans, glass bottles and any plastic that had a recycling number.

Lately they have limited plastic to only #1 and #2 and only if the mouth of the container is smaller than the base. Never heard of this restriction before and it's limiting many of the plastics that we used to recycle like yogurt or cottage cheese tub, large box from spinach, etc.

It seems so wrong to put those things in the trash bin now.

 

[easysurfer]

First time making spaghetti in awhile. I make the spaghetti sauce an added ingredients in a crockpot. Upon adding everything in the crockpot day, the amount sure seems less. Scratching my head now if I forget to add something.

Or perhaps, shrinkflation. Wonder the the sauce jar got smaller.

 

[Koolau]

At least our Cottonelle is the same as before.

Except the price.!

 

[retiredunder50]

Anybody notice that Costco TP is not as thick and soft as it was?
This last pack that we bought sure seems different!

The sheets seem as thick and soft as before to me, however, the number of sheets has been reduced from 425 to 380 per roll! Costco also reduced the number of sheets in their paper towels from 160 to 140, but amazingly, the number was raised back to 160.

 

[easysurfer]

I even noticed that the paper napkins that I usually get are thinner.

Sometimes ending up have to use extra.

 

[GenXguy]

At least our Cottonelle is the same as before.

Ha, I bought two Cottonelle Ultra Gentlecare Toilet Paper with Gentle Cleaningripples, 24 Family Mega Rolls back in January 2020 before the pandemic hit, and I still have half left.

And I bought another 12 megarolls of Cottonelle during the TP shortage in 2020 that I haven't opened. So, it will be some time before I need to buy TP again.

 

[GenXguy]

We have trash and recycle on the same day once a week. If our area is any indication there are quite a lot of people that throw recyclables in the trash instead of the recycle bin. Since I ride in the early morning 10+ miles for exercise I see all the trash and recycle bins on the side of the road. It appears as if it is too much trouble for some people to separate the plastic, glass, and cans even though the bins are provided.
Cheers!

They provide us trash bins for both recyclables and regular trash, so I don't know how much of that is going on. They only pick up recyclables every other week here.

I always sort mine, even though that stuff may never actually be recycled.

 

[gayl]

Ice cream jumped up to $6.99. And it isn't a half gallon

 

[John Galt III]

I got a 24 pack of Stella at Costco a few weeks ago. It was the only thing I could find that was not much over $1 a can/bottle ($1.07). I had been getting a Session 12 pack for $11. It's now $14. Too far over $1 a bottle. And that's for an 11 oz can. No go.

There's hope. I scored a 15 pack of 25 ounce cans of Stella Artois on sale for $19.97 plus tax. That's like getting a 30 pack of 12.5 ouncers for $19.97, which is 66 cents a can! On sale due to expiration date nearing, but not passed yet. Tastes great.

 

[SJhawkins]

I realized it had struck again this morning- I was making a drive to a recycling center. I now have to do this about once a month because my trash pickup company, which used to pick up recyclables for an extra charge, no longer does that. Yes they removed the extra charge- but the charge for pickup up of regular trash increased so I didn't get much of a break.

We do have other forms in the area but apparently they were overwhelmed with new customers and aren't accepting any more. I wonder how many people just throw recyclables into their opaque black trash bags for regular pickup.

As a side note, some folks around here set out the trash/recycle bins then got an alert that the pickup has been canceled due to a driver shortage, will pick up next week. Nothing better then a hot steamy week with a trash bin full of diapers sitting around!

 

[JoeWras]

Ice cream jumped up to $6.99. And it isn't a half gallon

Drilling down the BLS CPI numbers, you'll see processed foods are rising higher than unprocessed foods. Additionally, dairy products have taken the highest hit. Ice cream gets a double whammy.

Raw fruits and vegetables have the lowest inflation rate. Maybe this is our hint to eat healthy.

 

[John Galt III]

Our city recycling used to have us recycle just about everything, paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, metal food cans, glass bottles and any plastic that had a recycling number.

Lately they have limited plastic to only #1 and #2 and only if the mouth of the container is smaller than the base. Never heard of this restriction before and it's limiting many of the plastics that we used to recycle like yogurt or cottage cheese tub, large box from spinach, etc.

It seems so wrong to put those things in the trash bin now.

Our recycle charge from the city is $17.50 per quarter, and pickup is once every other week. There are rules somewhere about what can and cannot be recycled, but I have given up reading them since they change so often, and because of stories about so much of the recycling just going to landfills. I put any plastic or metal or paper that is clean, into the recycling. They do not accept styrofoam any more.

 

[Chuckanut]

As a side note, some folks around here set out the trash/recycle bins then got an alert that the pickup has been canceled due to a driver shortage, will pick up next week. Nothing better then a hot steamy week with a trash bin full of diapers sitting around!

Cotton cloth diapers might help. We used them for both our kids when home. A bit more work, but it saves a lot of money. For travel, we used the disposables.

 

[FindingForward]

Any pet owners seeing changes in the food they order? The cases of wet canned food I ordered last month were the same size volume-wise as before, but the food itself - suddenly much waterier/mushier. A noticeable difference.

I thought it might have been that batch - maybe left outside in the heat too long, etc. But nope. When I reordered, same thing.

Likely adding water to save costs. The old version was thick - you could actually slice/cut it into bite size pieces.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Any pet owners seeing changes in the food they order? The cases of wet canned food I ordered last month were the same size volume-wise as before, but the food itself - suddenly much waterier/mushier. A noticeable difference.

I thought it might have been that batch - maybe left outside in the heat too long, etc. But nope. When I reordered, same thing.

Likely adding water to save costs. The old version was thick - you could actually slice/cut it into bite size pieces.

The only change I have seen in the food is the price which keeps going up.

 

[Badger]

Any pet owners seeing changes in the food they order? The cases of wet canned food I ordered last month were the same size volume-wise as before, but the food itself - suddenly much waterier/mushier. A noticeable difference.

I thought it might have been that batch - maybe left outside in the heat too long, etc. But nope. When I reordered, same thing.

Likely adding water to save costs. The old version was thick - you could actually slice/cut it into bite size pieces.

I buy the Kirkland dry cat food. A few years ago it was $16.99 and now it is $23.99. Still the best deal I have ever found (I read labels) for a premium food. Canned food that I buy in the pet store in 5.5 oz cans has increased 31.25%. The density hasn't changed but I stir in a lot of water to make sure the cats stay hydrated and hopefully avoid urinary blockage problems. Been through that with one cat in the past.
With rising prices in pet foods I'm glad I don't have to live on cat food now that I'm retired.

Cheers!

 

[John Galt III]

I got a bag of Wise potato chips for free yesterday. I would never pay for it in real life, too expensive. It was a big puffy bag, 7 ounces. Price on it was $3.69. I opened it, and the top half was just empty air. I know there is 'settling', but a bit more than half the bag was just air, lol. Like I said, I got it for free, so not complaining, and they taste terrific.

 

[scrabbler1]

I got a bag of Wise potato chips for free yesterday. I would never pay for it in real life, too expensive. It was a big puffy bag, 7 ounces. Price on it was $3.69. I opened it, and the top half was just empty air. I know there is 'settling', but a bit more than half the bag was just air, lol. Like I said, I got it for free, so not complaining, and they taste terrific.

Other brands of potato chips have the same thing. Seems like more and more air is in the bags, no matter what size. But as long as they are sold by weight, I'm not too concerned, just puzzled.

 

[JoeWras]

Shrinkflation through upsizing?

I grow most of my vegetables and flowers from seed. Thank goodness, because the potted ones in the garden centers are getting very expensive.

This year I noticed something interesting. Very few cheap 6-pack small plants were available in the spring. Instead, they upsized them to 1, 2 or 4 packs, and charged quite a bit. The benefit is the customer gets a bigger plant, but man, around here there's a long growing season. It's OK to start with small plants.

This summer, I noticed all they are selling are "ready to go" large plants for $10 to $30. No medium pots, or a very limited selection.

So, by reducing the number of smaller varieties available, they are actually creating a form of shrinkflation, even though the plants are bigger.

 

[GravitySucks]

Other brands of potato chips have the same thing. Seems like more and more air is in the bags, no matter what size. But as long as they are sold by weight, I'm not too concerned, just puzzled.

Nitrogen gas is add to the bags to cushion the chips and keep the potatoes from rotting.

 

[6miths]

I grow most of my vegetables and flowers from seed. Thank goodness, because the potted ones in the garden centers are getting very expensive.

This year I noticed something interesting. Very few cheap 6-pack small plants were available in the spring. Instead, they upsized them to 1, 2 or 4 packs, and charged quite a bit. The benefit is the customer gets a bigger plant, but man, around here there's a long growing season. It's OK to start with small plants.

This summer, I noticed all they are selling are "ready to go" large plants for $10 to $30. No medium pots, or a very limited selection.

So, by reducing the number of smaller varieties available, they are actually creating a form of shrinkflation, even though the plants are bigger.

Definitely noticed the same thing. Bedding plants, annuals, used to be $10 a flat of 48 and might be found on sale at $8. Now the same flat, if it can be found at all is $22 and only on sale at well after planting season. Much more a move to 12-packs and 6 -packs of more mature plants. Definitely has pushed me to become a perennial gardener. Although I did grow several flats from seed last year which was satisfying.

 

[John Galt III]

Yeah, Home Depot style tomatoes are expensive. $4.50 for one plant, IIRC, in a medium pot, and no 4 packs available at all. That was last year, I gave up on HD, and so have not even checked this year, lol. Lucky for me, there is a gardening retailer near me that has tomato plants for $1.50 each, for the very small thin plastic pots. And they are pretty hardy.