The ever-shinking packets of food = higher prices!

[noggie]

This has been my gripe for like . . . seems forever.

Went to make the amazing tofu ricotta stuffed shells, that even non-vegan are fooled (yes, it is that good), and found that a one pound pkg of tofu is now 14oz and the formally one pound pkg is now 12oz. OK, really now!!!

Oh yeah, when did the 5lb bag of sugar, morph into 4lbs/

[determined]

Have not seen a 5lb bag of sugar for years. This has been going on for sometime, peanut butter, margarine, marshmallow fluff and on and on. I've noticed these things because alot of the things I make for holidays are old recipe's that call for "1 jar" "1 bag" ect.. and noticed that they weren't turning out quite right. Well when they were written 1 jar of peanut butter was 1 lb, now it is only 12-14 oz, same with the marshmallow fluff. When you are adding less of those things to the stuff you have to measure throws the finished product off. Rachel Ray says never just go by the price on the box, to always check the "unit price" to get the best bargin. I've been doing that for years, even before the stores started putting it on the shelf I took my calculator with me. Remember shopping with my cousin, she was buying the big cans of tuna, I stopped her and showed her that she was wasting money, 2 small cans were cheaper than one large.

http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/food-inflation-shrinking-packaging/

[BarbCA]

Hi, Bev. Good see you posting.
Yes most mayo now come in 30-oz jars. Grrrr. I just don't get it. Do the manufacturers think were so stupid we don't notice.
If I remember right it started when a lb. of coffee went to 12 oz. and seems to be escalating.

[Snoodle]

I know what you mean Bev. Bacon seems to have lost 4 oz. somewhere along the too. And my Ritz crackers have shrunk! I keep them around for when I'm not feeling well. It's about the only thing I can keep on my stomach. Check out your toilet paper too. The package may look the same size but the number of sheets are less. It's just not rolled as tight. I think this is going on with most everything.

[JoGee]

You are right, Kim. Every time I grab a unit of anything, any more, it seems like its smaller. And if it comes in a box, like medications, if the bottles are still the same size,the quantity is less; if the bottles are smaller, there is that extra bit of bent packaging inside that takes up the extra space. I can put 3 months' worth of pharmaceuticals into one bottle, and its just half full. I can't believe there is anyone who doesn't notice it.

It's true, you should go by the unit price, if you can. I also noticed that in some cases the "unit" changes on the posted prices. One brand shows by the ounce, another may say "package" or "pound" --- yes, I really did come across that in a store. I can convert the math in my mind, but some people can't.
One lady in the store was trying to figure out the best deal in cereals...she seemed to be a grandma raising 3 little kids. So I went over the cereals with her, showed her the best deals in what she wanted. But she didn't believe that the big boxes weren't cheaper. As I left the aisle she was still contemplating, and switched back to the bigger boxes.

[BarbCA]

If I were feeding little kids I would buy the bags of Malt-o-Meal cereal. I buy the Scooters and Raisin Bran The Scooters are like Honey nut Cheerios. They save quite a bit.

[JoGee]

My kids buy the bags of cereals for their families.
I buy the boxes with the "Box Tops" that the grands collect for school, which are almost always on sale, and I save coupons to buy them.

[Nalani]

The tube on the roll of T paper is bigger so they can put less paper on each paper and it'll still look the same. Same with everything and has been for years and years. They must think that we are stupid or something. But what can one do on products you really need?

[determined]

Nalani, what I read is that they figure that if they change the package design just a bit, put in less product, keep the price the same, people don't notice as fast as they do if they just jack the price up. I've found this to be true of people who are just now having to count their pennies at the grocery store, since I've always had to do that I noticed it long ago, my one sister's husband had a very good job in the coal mine, she always bought brand names, when his mine shut down she switched to generic, when he became disabled she started noticing the amount. The other sister's husband worked construction, when there were jobs going on he made good money, that sister has always figured out the most for her money (which is where I learned it staying with her during the summer as a teen). While at home we raised all of our own food and only bought what we couldn't raise but even then Mom would figure out what was the cheaper flour, sugar ect.

[boffler]

I also have noticed on the toilet paper thing that the roll is shorter now also, so much room left on you toilet roll bar..you really do have to watch the amounts in anything you buy especially if you are making or baking something with a specific amount called for. Kim I am the same way with Ritz, showed hubby how much smaller the cracker and the box are now, the round summer sausage use to fit perfectly on them, now they hang over, well they did last year, maybe this year they will both be the same size again, SMALER.

[Kayce]

I agree with all above, but I did find Domininos sugar in 5lb bag during the Tday shopping, my sil and I were amazed

[JoGee]

No kidding? I'll have to look for that! Thanks. (Did you check the pricing per pound compared to other brands?)

[Paula A]

And, the clerk in Wal Mart pointed out their brand sugar is still 5 pounds And it is C and H, just packaged inWal Mart bags. I checked on the weight and now buy all my sugar at Wm, not my grocery store.

[Deborah]

This is why I buy what I can at Costco. If you get it home and it doesn't look right, just take it back next time you go, receipt or no receipt. Buying in bulk still works for us.

[Schmitty]

I do the same Deb...love Costco.....still get to Sam's as well..... they carry some items I like....Costco does not carry.