The incredible shrinking ice cream
I know I've told you that I'm a recovering spender so the urge to spend without thinking is always with me. I'm much better about shopping around for big-ticket products, but the one area where I still mindlessly spend is the grocery store. I have to constantly remind myself to pay attention to prices or else suffer sticker shock at check-out.
Just ask my Mama about the time she sent me to the store to fetch a frozen duck. Like a dope, I paid $30 at the Giant's for the same duck that Food Lion sold for $12. Oooh, my Mama was mad at me.
Now, I find out it's not just prices I have to pay attention to these days. I also have to keep an eye on the net weight and package of products I'm buying, says Mouseprint.org, a sister site of ConsumerWorld and MrConsumer.
Mouseprint, which exposes the fine print in product labels and contracts, has found that ice cream manufacturers have downsized their ice cream containers from 56 ounces to 48 ounces.
Even though the price remains the same, Breyers is giving you less for your money. Mouseprint asked why and this is what Breyers had to say:
Breyers has always taken great pride in offering the highest quality products at reasonable and fair prices. Recently, the price of all of our ingredients, most of all the fresh cream we use in our products, has gone up dramatically. Manufacturing and transportation costs also have increased significantly with the surge in fuel oil prices. Because of these economic conditions and in order to remain competitive, Breyers® made the difficult decision to reduce the size of our basic pack to 48 ounces.”
Sneaky, sneaky, don't you think?
Mouseprint discovered the same with Edy's, which told Mouseprint that they "continue to experience increases in costs for energy, dairy, etc., and wanted to continue to offer their product at a 'familiar price'. When I asked why they don’t call attention to the fact that the package now contains a cup less of ice cream, the company representative said the quantity is clearly marked on the product and there was no intent to deceive."
We here at Consuming Interests agree with Mouseprint when it says, "As we have said many times, downsizing is sneaky way to pass on price increase because the change is often not obvious, but you are getting less for your money."
Check out Mouseprint. Devotees of the Great and Wonderful Elizabeth's Dining@Large blog are sure to find Mouseprint useful since I do recall Sandbox discussing this very issue. It's a cool site where you'll find out that Country Crock is guilty of this downsizing deception, too, as well as how a bigger bottle of Act Fluoride gives you twice the size, but half the strength. It might also have you asking "Where's the ham?" in a John Morrell package of cooked ham.
(Photo courtesy of Mouseprint.org)
Comments
This is nothing new.
About 10 yrs ago when coffee prices were escalating the venerable pound of coffee became a 13oz can.
caveat emptor
Posted by: MrRational | May 13, 2008 9:22 AM
Oh, come on. You're just catching on to this now?!?! Where were you when the same companies were reducing their containers from 2 quarts to 1.75 quarts over the past two years or so?
DD: I know I know! Alexander, forgive me. Did you not see where I said I've always been really bad at paying attention to food prices? I hate grocery shopping so when I need food, I grab and go. Now that food prices keep rising, I try to be more mindful now. I'm a bad food shopper, I admit it.
Posted by: Alexander | May 13, 2008 11:08 AM
Yes, BUT, I've been watching this ice cream thing for a few months now and did anyone notice that it didn't happen with every variety all at once? They've been gradually switching. First it was just the specialty flavors like the nasty snickers, butterfinger stuff. The classic flavors were fine. Then all of a sudden my Rocky Road went down. But, as of my last trip to the store, plain vanilla and chocolate were still up there. Don't tell me that's because of some unavoidable manufacturing issue. They're just hoping you won't notice.
DD: Why am I getting the sudden urge to go to the supermarket to see which flavors have switched? I really need to stop listening to my stomach so I can STOP grocery shopping with blinders on. I'm getting duped by all this manufacturing sneakiness.
Posted by: Debra | May 13, 2008 1:07 PM
Don't know if it's required by law, but most grocery stores now list the unit cost (i.e.: $/pound, etc.) with the overall cost ($) of goods they sell. So while the overall cost of a 2 quart and 1.75 quart tub of Edy's might both cost, say, $3.00, the unit cost of the 1.75 quart tub will be higher due to smaller volume and weight. Paying attention to the unit cost seems to be a very good way to get the most for your money.
But when it comes to Edy's, I gotta admit that I'd pay whatever they want, especially in July or August. Some things just make life that much better!
DD: Aloha! and I gotta agree with you there, Bob. I'm not a huge fan of ice cream, but I do love it in July and August.
Posted by: bob | May 13, 2008 1:35 PM
I posted this on the Dining@Large site too, but Tropicana's new "e-z pour pitcher" or whatever garbage they are calling it is a roundabout way of saying the new 89-oz. jug costs the same price as the 96-oz. jug used to. ...
DD: Welcome WildBillFan. We've got a lot of love here for Elizabeth's Sandbox.
Posted by: WildBillFan | May 13, 2008 1:44 PM
What a crock (Breyer's explanation I mean). They had a choice raise the price, or retool the production line, redesign the packaging, etc. They choose the sneaky, expensive way over the honest, cheap way.
Posted by: Corwyn | May 20, 2008 2:22 PM
Corwyn you said it!!! It is intentional and a rip off and I will never buy from these companies again. Wendys hamburgers have shrunk also as Mrs Winners chicken biscuits...and it goes on and on....
I just want to know why alot of this has happened at the same time? very spooky....
Posted by: Tony B. | June 13, 2008 5:09 PM