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Retail products (food, consumables) qty shrinking, price THE SAME! (no surprise)
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wilfred:

--- Quote from: Someone on November 21, 2019, 06:55:00 am ---Thats the change in thinking so many people here seem to be missing. The price of the packaged product is largely irrelevant if its something relatively non-perishable you are buying regularly, all that matters at that point is the per unit pricing. If you never pay attention to per unit pricing, you cant complain when they keep the per package pricing the same and reduce the contents, it was there all along.

--- End quote ---

I buy dishwashing liquid in 900ml bottles. It used to be 1000ml. It used to be available in 1250ml sizes. It is the same liquid and the 1250ml size was cheaper/ml because it was marketed as economy size.

However buying 9000ml in 1000ml bottles is 9 bottles and 10 bottles in the 900ml size. It might cost the same per ml. I don't think it does because they can reflate the price up nearer the threshold they were avoiding crossing.  For a supermarket that proudly stops single use plastic bags they conveniently ignore the additional plastic in the extra bottle. Don't get me started.

Someone:

--- Quote from: wilfred on November 21, 2019, 07:35:51 am ---
--- Quote from: Someone on November 21, 2019, 06:55:00 am ---Thats the change in thinking so many people here seem to be missing. The price of the packaged product is largely irrelevant if its something relatively non-perishable you are buying regularly, all that matters at that point is the per unit pricing. If you never pay attention to per unit pricing, you cant complain when they keep the per package pricing the same and reduce the contents, it was there all along.

--- End quote ---

I buy dishwashing liquid in 900ml bottles. It used to be 1000ml. It used to be available in 1250ml sizes. It is the same liquid and the 1250ml size was cheaper/ml because it was marketed as economy size.
--- End quote ---
Assuming this is the popular "Morning Fresh" brand it has also been available in 1250ml, 750ml, 500ml, and 400ml bottles (probably many other sizes) through history, the 1.25l is still available but not in the major supermarkets. The big supermarkets have a very large say in what appears on their shelves and will push for whatever package size they want, you can find products with a dozen or more different sizes with subsets of them available at any given retailer, per unit cost can be bumpy and not monotonically reducing proportional to size ("The Checkout" did a recurring "Skit" on this). Factor in sales cutting prices down erratically and the only metric that need be considered is per unit pricing. Thats before getting to "premium variants" that sell at the same package price, look to be the same size with a uniform presentation, but have less product in them (Tim Tam biscuits do this in their range).


--- Quote from: wilfred on November 21, 2019, 07:35:51 am ---However buying 9000ml in 1000ml bottles is 9 bottles and 10 bottles in the 900ml size. It might cost the same per ml. I don't think it does because they can reflate the price up nearer the threshold they were avoiding crossing.  For a supermarket that proudly stops single use plastic bags they conveniently ignore the additional plastic in the extra bottle. Don't get me started.
--- End quote ---
So you are exactly the person who didn't and doesn't pay attention to per unit pricing, otherwise you would have noticed the the cost going up with the package getting smaller. Enjoy overpaying for your daily consumables.
Yansi:

--- Quote from: OwO on November 21, 2019, 06:33:48 am ---In Europe I always looked at the "price per kg" small text on the sticker (which is probably mandated by regulation). Unfortunately doesn't seem to be a thing in most parts of North America so I was always seen using the calculator on my phone.

--- End quote ---

Yup, this is indeed mandated by regulations round here. At least one good practical rule from the EU.
Halcyon:

--- Quote from: Yansi on November 21, 2019, 09:27:30 am ---
--- Quote from: OwO on November 21, 2019, 06:33:48 am ---In Europe I always looked at the "price per kg" small text on the sticker (which is probably mandated by regulation). Unfortunately doesn't seem to be a thing in most parts of North America so I was always seen using the calculator on my phone.

--- End quote ---

Yup, this is indeed mandated by regulations round here. At least one good practical rule from the EU.

--- End quote ---

Likewise, I almost exclusively shop based on unit price, regardless of any "specials" you might see. You save money in the long-run. Savings aren't always in the larger quantities either. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy two of something, than one larger "value pack".

The only time I'll buy the cheapest of something is if I only need a smaller amount than what is in the package, it's perishable and not something I use regularly.
tggzzz:
Another eti thread.

Googling for "shrinkflation" will show it isn't a new phenomenon, nor is it localised.

Infamous example:
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