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 ...
Let's take a look at the first two paragraphs of the latest BLS news release (next one announcing inflation comes on Wednesday):
Consumer Price Index - September 2010 The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.1 percent before seasonal adjustment.Increases in food indexes and another rise in the gasoline index contributed to the all items seasonally adjusted increase this month. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in September as the food index posted its largest increase since October 2008. The gasoline index rose again in September, leading to a third consecutive increase in the energy index despite a decline in the index for household energy. [emphasis added]
I love “the ben bernank”. That’s what we should use.
I noticed at my store recently that is true for the large refill bottles of "Spray and Wash", it's cheaper per ounce, to buy the regular spray bottle. That's not the only item that I've noticed that way.
I think you're right, they are trying to fool consumers.
ice cream containers are getting smaller too.
Had to stop by the store to pick up some mild spice beans for taco soup on thursday. It wasnt until I got home did I realize the can was 15.5oz instead of 16oz. Normally I watch for this but the size difference is so slight as to not be noticable. I will pay attention now.
This will screw up recipes.
I noticed that the TP I bought at the algore store (Costco) was narrower than usual. Went back to Sam’s Club.
Distillers have been doing this dance for a while now, I have noted. Jack Daniels used to be 86 proof (many years ago, as did a lot of distilled liquors). It's now 80 proof. Why? Because 80 proof is the minimum you can make a distilled spirit and legally call it a distilled spirit.
Liquor prices have been climbing for a decade now....
And whaddya' know, he was correct.
Do tell....!
THAT is a real problem. You can sometimes just add a bit of water or some other ingredient to make up the difference with canned goods. Baking is a different story. When a recipe calls for a certain size container it can really screw up the final outcome if your not paying attention.
And you need a magnifying glass to make out the tiny labeling! A conversion table and calculator comes in handy when you want to compare similiar products from different manufacturers. Often the amounts contained are expressed in different units. Sometimes even the same manufacturer will use different units on differently-sized portions of the very same product.
Funny, I buy my propane by the gallon so the size of the tank does not matter, I only pay for what I get put in the tank......
The substandard conditions elsewhere is no justification for the declining quality (or quantity) of goods and services in America.
Car prices have been climbing for eight decades now ....
... while at the same time increasing those recipients' Medicare premiums.
It’s not “shrinking”, it is “quantitative easing”.
The post referred to pre-filled small cylinders. I use them for dyeing. They used to last 27 hours. They now last around 20 hours. The exchange rate has remained the same, but the price of a new pre-filled tank is up about $15 at Walmart.
I also use propane for home heating/hot water. This year, as usual, I had to call around, get comparative prices and negotiate a price below what my supplier wanted to charge. I got the reduction in price, a snotty service person at the phone center and then, they lowered the amount I can buy under the new price. This will insure that if I need propane after the contract ends, I will pay market. Last year, they tried to charge $4/gallon if anyone needed a fill in April.
I have a replacement provider on tap for next year.
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