The Incredible Shrinking Package

[Diggin It]

Ustacould find most everything in packages of uniform unit sizes, quarts, gallons, pounds, etc.

Then they started half units, pints instead of quarts. Strawberries and blueberries were in quarts or pints. Now I see blueberries in 6 ounce packages. Corn was always priced by the dozen. Then came half dozens. Now I see it priced by the ear. Bananas, peaches oranges and apples are priced individually in some places.

Canned and jarred groceries are in 30 ounce units instead of 32, or 15 ounce instead of 16. Soups are 10-3/4 ounces. Really?

Eggs in half dozens?

Some cheeses are in 6 ounce packages or smaller. I've seen 4 ounce packages.

I'm sure y'all can come up with a whole lot more examples.

 

[KennyG]

I'm sure a lot of this is trying to squeeze out a little more profit without increasing the shelf price, but some of it is responding to the market. We now have a much larger segment of one and two person households than we used to have. If you want to see small sizes, go to Europe where they don't "overconsume" as much as we do. You often buy eggs in 4 packs there and very small packages of all sorts of items.

 

[oosik]

But - its still nice to see items come in large "bulk" packaging. I will buy items in large quantities simply because I don't like shopping and it's a good long drive to the Costco store.

Now if the grocery store could be made more like the local hardware store or tractor store..........."special today on a dozen eggs and a six pack of moly grease". "Special this week - half dozen lynch pins or five pounds of grapes"

 

[LD48750]

But - its still nice to see items come in large "bulk" packaging. I will buy items in large quantities simply because I don't like shopping and it's a good long drive to the Costco store.

Now if the grocery store could be made more like the local hardware store or tractor store..........."special today on a dozen eggs and a six pack of moly grease". "Special this week - half dozen lynch pins or five pounds of grapes"

You need to shop at Rural King, you can get those combinations there.

I have noiced my 1/2 gal. of Ice Cream doesn't seem to last as long even though it is more expensive now.
Could have something to do with it's only 1.5 Qts. now.

 

[orezok]

Im still trying out figure out how they get 5# of sugar in the 4# bag

 

[shooterdon]

Most people do not check cost per unit. My fiancé is one of them. I have been doing it all my life...keeps the brain active and can save a few pennies here and there.

Occasionally, the smaller package is less than the "economy size"!! Go figure....but most do not.

 

[Big Barn]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just part of the aging process. (Apparently).

 

[Oldoak]

I'm sure a lot of this is trying to squeeze out a little more profit without increasing the shelf price

I'm not so sure about that. Some manufactures are producing smaller packages and increasing their price. And then there is always the exception like shooterdon pointed out "Occasionally, the smaller package is less than the "economy size"!!".

Unit price is the only price to go by when comparison shopping.

 

[3Ts]

like shooterdon pointed out "Occasionally, the smaller package is less than the "economy size"!!".

Typically a store will buy "by the pallet" - multiple pallet purchase (per pallet) is less than one pallet. So if the store buys one pallet of "economy size" and 10 pallets of "miniature packages", the price for "minatures" will be less.

 

[mrmikey]

Annoying to say the least. What really ticks me off is when they say something like, "now, smaller size but more concentrated, still makes the same amount of...." what came to mind was hot chocolate powder in a plastic bag, Carnation I think it was. I think I have seen tea bags labeled the same way. Paint...used to be IMP gallon, than went US gallon, then went liters..... .....Mike