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Why your toilet paper is shrinking
Fortune/CNN ^ | 11/9/10 | Beth Kowitt

Posted on 11/15/2010 4:20:19 AM PST by Daisyjane69

Everything shrinks in a recession: GDP, investment portfolios, even the products on store shelves. Consumer goods companies know that customers won't go for price increases during a downturn. Instead they often use a different tactic to offset things such as new competition or the rising cost of raw materials: cutting quantity while maintaining price. Yet it may not be obvious that your ice cream or OJ containers have shrunk. Manufacturers must note new specs on packaging, but the changes don't have to be advertised (ever seen a now smaller! label?).

(Excerpt) Read more at features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: economy; shrinkage
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Remember 20lb propane tanks?


21 posted on 11/15/2010 4:59:09 AM PST by listenhillary (A very simple fix to our dilemma - We need to reward the makers instead of the takers)
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To: C210N

” Replies are more numerous and substantial as well “

Naaahhh - we just pump ‘em up with hot air and inert fillers to make ‘em look that way...

;)


22 posted on 11/15/2010 4:59:41 AM PST by Uncle Ike (Rope is cheap, and there are lots of trees...)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
A 20 pound bag of charcoal went to 18 pounds a few years ago. Now it’s 15 pounds...

If you buy that brand of charcoal, a polar bear will come visit you to give you a hug in your driveway!


23 posted on 11/15/2010 5:01:25 AM PST by Rodamala
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
A 20 pound bag of charcoal went to 18 pounds a few years ago. Now it’s 15 pounds...

If you buy that brand of charcoal, a polar bear will come visit you to give you a hug in your driveway!

24 posted on 11/15/2010 5:01:38 AM PST by Rodamala
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To: Zakeet
Decreasing portions are merely another way of raising prices.

True. And many products raise prices as well as reducing container sizes. Coffee comes to mind. First the containers shrunk and then prices soared.

25 posted on 11/15/2010 5:02:22 AM PST by luvbach1 (Stop Barry now. He can't help himself.)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
I used to get my propane BBQ cylinder refilled w/20 lbs. of propane. The “new” rental and purchase type cylinders with the blow-off valve only hold 15 lbs. Same price to refill.
26 posted on 11/15/2010 5:03:16 AM PST by tommyboy (We'll do it live)
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To: Daisyjane69

Potato chips are on my food pyramid.

Four years ago I could buy the store brand chips in a one lb. box for 99¢. Today that store brand is 6 oz. for 99¢. For major brands, the best deal I can find is the on sale two for one price - $3.99 for two 13 oz. bags. And I see that some flavors of chips are down to 11.75 oz. It’s time for a potato chip party in Boston harbor. I do have warpaint.


27 posted on 11/15/2010 5:04:19 AM PST by sergeantdave
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To: Daisyjane69

When manufacturers are forced to go ‘metric’ because of the ‘Global’ economy - they will use the opportunity to reduce product/quantity size again.


28 posted on 11/15/2010 5:05:07 AM PST by sodpoodle (Despair; man's surrender. Laughter; God 's redemption.)
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To: Daisyjane69

Anyone notice the smaller patties in McDonald’s McDouble sandwiches? The patties aren’t even round anymore, more like oval-shaped.


29 posted on 11/15/2010 5:05:19 AM PST by rawhide
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To: YankeeReb

Can anyone explain why the per ounce price is often higher on larger sizes than the smaller ones? I think I know: a conscious effort to fool the buyer.


30 posted on 11/15/2010 5:05:50 AM PST by luvbach1 (Stop Barry now. He can't help himself.)
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To: Daisyjane69
This site tracks “shrinkage.”

I've been in the pool!!

31 posted on 11/15/2010 5:08:00 AM PST by John O (God Save America (Please))
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To: sodpoodle
When manufacturers are forced to go ‘metric’

That was supposed to have happened many years ago in all fields but Americans resisted (especially with gasoline). Of course it has happened in some products.

32 posted on 11/15/2010 5:10:27 AM PST by luvbach1 (Stop Barry now. He can't help himself.)
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To: Daisyjane69

Frito-Lay has played this game for years.


33 posted on 11/15/2010 5:13:46 AM PST by Texas Mulerider (Rap music: hieroglyphics with a beat.)
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To: Daisyjane69

"Sheryl "I stopped using THAT finger years ago" Crow"

34 posted on 11/15/2010 5:15:32 AM PST by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Venturer
It allows the government to say there is no inflation.
We have a government that lies.

False. The notion that shrinking packages are unaccounted-for when inflation is calculated is an economic myth.

35 posted on 11/15/2010 5:17:19 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Daisyjane69

It’s like everything else, we must learn to live with LESS as Obama drives us into poverty. Inflation will raise the price as we get less for our money. Besides we MUST worship the EARTHand go to all EXTREMES to preserve the environment. Ideally they’d like U.S. to not use toilet paper and have our loo be the outdoors and save it as compost.


36 posted on 11/15/2010 5:19:17 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: ETL
I've been out of the country for the last four weeks: India, Norway, and Japan last week and this week. SO many things we take for granted! TP, napkins, cookies, COFFEE (luckily I brought Starbucks instant packets with me), pillows, TV - it goes on and on. I just watched a cheesy Italian sci-fi movie online, Assignment Outer Space, because there's no English channels on TV.

You don't miss the water 'til the well runs dry...

37 posted on 11/15/2010 5:23:12 AM PST by onehipdad (There is nothing new under the sun.)
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To: sergeantdave

Can’t remember the brand, but I went to buy a bag of chips at Wally World a few weeks ago and the damned thing was less that half full. The bag, however, was fully inflated to make it LOOK like it was full.

Grrrr.


38 posted on 11/15/2010 5:25:38 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Now taking suggestions for a new screen name.)
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To: C210N
FR posts are beefier, fatter, and longer. Replies are more numerous and substantial as well!

Disagree.

39 posted on 11/15/2010 5:26:35 AM PST by Graybeard58
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To: Daisyjane69

What a relief! I thought my butt was getting bigger.


40 posted on 11/15/2010 5:28:32 AM PST by MNDude (And we were SO close to acheiving utopia)
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