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Folgers Coffee: Magic Shrink Ray Makes More From Less
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I just bought a can of Folgers Classic Roast coffee from Costco and saw one of the most amazing marketing lies ever. I can understand companies that make packages smaller. We all know fuel and food is more expensive and we can accept paying more for the same products. We can understand when companies charge the same price but give you less. They don’t tell you it’s the same size, they just hit it with the shrink ray and are done with it.
Until today, no one flat out lied about it.
(For those in no mood to watch a video, Folgers’ new can is 4 oz. less in ground coffee but the company claims it produces more actual cups of coffee in big bold lettering – the one on the left is the new can)
Check out this video (if you’re reading through the RSS, you will have to click on the post to see the video):
Here are a high resolution shot of the two cans (newer and smaller can is on the left). You can see the size clearly labeled at the bottom of the can and the ridiculous assertion that the smaller can produces more coffee. Click the image to get a full size version and see for yourself.
Here’s the full set of Folgers Shrink Ray photos, it includes multiple shots of each can from the front and the back so you can see that the labels flat out lie.
Amazing isn’t it?
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Just wait til they figure out that they can claim a cup of coffee is only 5 ounces.
My Mr. Coffee pot measures 4 ounces per cup.
It says 90 more cups than the 39.5 oz size, not more that the 380 cup size. When packages have something like that on there to catch your eye, see if the news is good news or bad news. In this case, it is bad news, because the 380 cup size obviously made more than 90 more cups that the 39.5 oz size.
triple-e: The can on the right is the old one, the 90 more cups isn’t the focus of the picture, it’s the claim of 360 cups. Compare that to the smaller, shrink-ray’d can of coffee that claims 380 cups. That’s the contradiction.
I assume Folgers redefined the ounce.
Interesting. Before watching the video I was going to suggest checking the measuring instructions on the back, but you clearly thought of that you smart devil, you.
Haha, I looked at it for a good fifteen minutes because I didn’t want to look like a fool for missing something stupid. I still feel like I’m missing something stupid.
This makes no sense. Does one say teaspoon and the other tablespoon? I have no idea how that would work.
It is theoretically possible to get more cups out of less coffee because the preparation instructions use volume, whereas the container size is given in weight (and mass). If they can grind the beans to make the grounds less dense then you’ll get more cups of coffee out of a smaller mass of grounded beans.
I hope you’re counting
While it’s now plausible, I find it improbable that they retooled their equipment to grind the coffee less coarser.
The size difference of 4 oz. on a 3 lb. 4 oz. container is ~7.7% – is the coffee correspondingly less dense to that degree?
I feel like the OJ Simpson defense team trying to get Folgers off the hook. Where’s Cato?
we dont have to retool the equipment..it is an adjustment…same equipment, different settings….and yes, we grind it different and blend it different…whole different recipe than before..
I guess the big question is, how are you going to drink over 700 cups of coffee before it goes stale?
Nothing slips past eagle eye jim!
Nice catch.
Well, the older can is empty so I only need to drink “up to” 380.
Plus it’s in a magically hermetically self-sealing plastic container, so it’ll stay forever.
Interesting. To give them the benefit of the doubt before accusing them of lying… Its feasible that they changed how they grind the coffee. Or maybe they changed how exactly they measured the # of cups or teaspoons used. Its even possible they have a typo on their can.
You might want to just email them and ask them whats up. Theres a ‘contact us’ link at the Folgers site:
http://folgers.custhelp.com/
Jim
Class action lawsuit ? lol
You know, Consumer Reports has an end page called “Selling It” that this is ripe material for. It’s obviously wrong and misleading.
I noticed the same thing today when I bought the new 380 cup can of Classic Roast at Sam’s. I thought it was larger in some way until I got home and compared it to my old can.??? I can to some degree understand companies making items smaller in order to raise prices without raising prices?? But don’t claim to get more from less.
Do the math.
52 ozs = 360 cups of coffee using 1 Tbl
48 ozs = 380 cups of coffee using 1 Tbl
The math just don’t add up. You cant get more cups of coffee from less coffee?? Not if they haven’t made the coffee different in way. I don’t see “New Concentrated Formula” on the can.
Has anyone contacted Folgers about this? I defense of Folgers it may be a misprint, but not likely. I think I will contact them. This actually makes me mad, and makes me feel like they think we as customers are stupid. What did they think we wouldn’t notice?? GRRRRR
Poked around on the Folgers website. Mystery solved.
link
BSP: That explains the difference between different varieties, but this is the same variety just a different time. It also doesn’t explain the discrepancy in the number of cups it’s purported to produce.
The one on the right says 90 more cups (360) than the 34.5 oz. size. I have a 39 oz. size from the regular grocery store that says it makes 270 cups!So are they lying on every one they make and have been for awhile?
I did the math…
Servings Ounces Servings per ounce
360 52 0.144444444
270 39 0.144444444
380 48 0.126315789
332.3077 48 0.144444441
The 52 ounce can that claims to make 90 more cups than the 39 ounce can is exactly correct.
If 52 ounce makes 360, and is 90 more than 39 ounce, then 39 ounce makes 270. Someone who commented on the website mentioned their old 39 ounce can stated it makes 270 cups.
Using the same amount of coffee per serving, the 48 ounce can will only make almost 333 cups. To make 380, you’d use less coffee. But, the instructions state to use the same amount.
I did the math…
Servings Ounces Servings/ounce
360 52 0.144444444
270 39 0.144444444
380 48 0.126315789
332 48 0.144444441
The 52 ounce can that claims to make 90 more cups than the 39 ounce can is exactly correct.
If 52 ounce makes 360, and is 90 more than 39 ounce, then 39 ounce makes 270. Someone who commented on the website mentioned their old 39 ounce can stated it makes 270 cups.
Using the same amount of coffee per serving, the 48 ounce can will only make almost 333 cups. To make 380, you’d use less coffee. But, the instructions state to use the same amount.
The can with 380cups has a smaller handle. Smaller handle = more volume = more scoops = more cups
its the way they roast the coffee. the newer one might have less coffee in the canister but it takes less coffee to make a 6 oz cup. So the canister gets smaller but you aren’t losing any coffee. They are able to save materials which is better for the environment.
mike – they did not change the package size (it is exactly the same size) it just has less coffee (by weight) in it. same amount of packaging will go into the landfill because their HDPE can is very difficult to recycle as it has a dark pigment & there are limited post-consumer uses for this type of plastic. maxwell house also recently shrunk their coffee sizes and claim the same yield.
I’ve used Folgers for over 20 years. Now they’ve gone to far. I now drink another brand. That’s what Folgers’ market managing has done to brand loyalty. I hope you go bankrupt… JERKS!
The 34.5 oz can has disappeared and the “Coffee House” series with it now you can only get 27.8 oz cans. So…do not be fooled when you think the price has come down. The old bait and switch is alive and well at Folgers.
I was paying $5 a can for classic roast at WalMart, a few months ago, before they started making the containers smaller.
The smaller containers have lots of different names now and cost $8.
I changed brands as soon as I noticed that.
Vote with your money.
PS..and yes, the size is smaller. The container is shorter.
Shrinking may not be the only concern.
I just opened a “can” of Folger’s Classic Roast – the 270 cup size – bought two weeks ago at Safeway. The Best By Date is December 2010.
The vacuum seal was quite intact and I’ve been switching between Folger’s and Safeway’s classic roast. Remember those old Folger’s commercials showing people opening a new can and breathing in the wonderful aroma? Forget it.
There was none when I opened this. I had to stick my nose right into the can to smell anything like coffee. I made a half pot and it tastes like it’s half watered-down – barely palatable.
It’s as if they took old, expired cans, mixed and repackaged them and figured nobody would notice. Anyone else notice this?
I’m taking this back to Safeway tonight and demanding one of their brand instead.
Goodbye, Folger’s. The empty can of Safeway coffee literally had more aroma.
I got on line to see if I could find a link which talked about the drastic change in flavor which my hubby – a lifetime Folger’s drinker – has noticed. Folger’s coffee has been tasting like flavored water lately, there is no smell or aroma that wafts up to meet his nose. I have to agree with Frank, “It’s as if they took old, expired cans, mixed and repackaged them and figured nobody would notice”. Myself, I drink Tulleys!
so how does folgers get away with it.
4 OZ less and they say it makes more coffee, out and out lie. I like Folgers and routinely purchase it, from Costco, but I’ll look elsewhere NOW since they are incredible liars!!!
The actual recipe changed for the red can folgers…it was a 3 bean blend and is now a five bean blend, creating the same flavor using less beans with the new components…magic?? no… innovative?? yes…
A lot of marketing tests and time and money went in to this new blend….and it is true..same great flavor using less ground coffee!
I noticed the coffee taste is noticably weaker. Now I use more coffee. It also plugs the filter occasionally and makes a mess. Smuckers never should have bought a coffee company.
Has anyone else noticed the flavor of Folgers coffee? My husband and I are trying out other brands because the flavor is horrible! This is from 3 different cans too, not just one. What’s the problem? We’ve drank Folgers for like 30 years and never had this problem before.
Yeah, we noticed too. The one that’s usually on sale “custom roast” is not as good as “Classic roast” used to be.
Try the breakfast blend. We like it really well.
I can’t stand Maxwell House, ANY roast. I’d rather use the floor sweepings at the Folgers factory.
Gosh, I guess we’ll have to find different coffee. Folgers has been our brand for 25+ years and now the taste is off. We tried 2 different cans and 2 different coffee makers and 2 different filters, a total of 6 pots and not one came close to the old flavor. How many customers does a company have to lose before they realize they’ve made a mistake?
Yeah, just bought the used to be 3 pounder, it shrank to 2 lbs 1 oz. And now it is more expensive and has shrank to 1 lb 11.8 oz. They claim on their facebook page, that it is a new roasting process, I say bull and we will see if others do the same, if they do then we have caught them in another lie.
It’s time for all of us to quit tolerating being shorted!!!
They have changed the flavor, I called and complained, they sent coupon for discount but I’ve been drinking Folger’s coffee for 40 years and this is not the same coffee so I have switched to try and find the flavor that I loved and enjoyed so much. Don’t need coupons, don’t want it–they say flavor same ut I don’t believe them.
I don’t moderate the truth.
Like the old saying goes, less is more.
I have written to Folgers (Smuckers) three times asking about the aroma, taste, weakness- changes in the quality. They have enraged me by not owning the change. There is something much different with their Columbian coffe:
Price: from $6.99 to $11.99
Taste: weaker. I beleive the ground is finer which requires you use more coffee
Aroma: is absent, in fact it smells of a chemical, propylene glycol, which they may be adding as a moisturizer to keep the grouds from flying around when you try to measure it.
Body: has changed and no longer has that strong, dark Columbian body which could be because it is so finely ground that the water isn’t able to extract the body from a flake instead of a drip ground bean.
I have tried to appeal to them to maintain their old quality, body, aroma and they have not been interested in doing so
I have switched…Goodbye Folgers…sure do miss “waking up to Folgers in my cup”
We should ban together to demand it return…would like to “wake up to the way it used to be.”