Things Really May Be Smaller – It’s Not Your Glasses!

Are Products Smaller Or Do We Just Need A New Eyeglass RX?

Things May Really Be Smaller!

Sometime around age 50, many of us struggle with our glasses prescription. Our eyes do change. But not everything appears smaller because we need bifocals. Some things really did shrink in size!

Shrinking Product Package Sizes

This is no new trick. I remember large 5 cent chocolate bars that I bought from the corner store, and I know the $1 bar I pick up at the convenience store today shrunk in size while it grew in price. I figure that this works out since I should be cutting back on sweets anyway.

However, we cannot believe that shrinking product sizes got limited to candy. I think this is just one of the first things I noticed because candy bars were one of the first purchases I ever made on my own. As a child, I figured that essentials like green beans and burgers just grew in the fridge.

Do you get the feeling that your rolls of toilet paper are running out a lot faster? This may not be totally explained by more frequent trips to the rest room. In order to control the price, some companies just leave out some sheets on every roll. That may even be clearly disclosed on the label, but I have to admit that toilet paper roll label reading is one habit I have not adopted yet.

Manufacturers blame this on rising fuel and commodity prices, and those things will probably rise by 3%, or more, in 2011. However, we seldom see products grow in size when prices are stable or declining.

 Besides, this practive, though hardly new, is sort of sneaky. We are not expected to notice that our favorite coffee, cleaning product, or toilet paper has shrunk. As long as the price seems competitive with other products on the shelf, we tend to keep picking up the same items.

What To Do About Product Downsizing

• Be aware of your purchases. For example, container sizes can be very deceptive. When you stand in the grocery aisle in front of instant coffee or breakfast cereal, note the price per ounce, and not just the total price of the product.
• Buy in bulk if you can. I am not a big fan of bulk buying because I have limited storage space, and I want to be sure some products are fresh. For example, I am the only coffee drinker in my home, so I like to buy a smaller size.  But many products offer a really good discounts when you purchase the jumbo size. 
• Shop sales. I mentioned that I do not care for jumbo sizes, and I  also do not like coupons. I know that lots of people save a lot of money with coupons. In my opinion, I seldom purchase the brands I can find coupons for. Besides, I never seem to remember to take them when I stop at the store. I tend to find that having a flexible shopping list and shopping sales also saves me a lot of money.
• Complain to the company. If your favorite brand just got shrunk, let the company know that you noticed. According to a Consumer Reports article, 75% of Americans actually did notice that some products got downsized. But few complain. Let companies know you have concerns about this practice. In my opinion, it would be interesting to see how they respond!

Do you have more tips to help consumers spend less money at the store? We’d love to read your comments.

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5. Hair Loss – Are Silicone Beauty Products to Blame?

This entry was posted on January 7, 2011 at 10:10 am and is filed under Home & Family. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.