Shrinking Products Mean Inaccurate Unit Prices
With the recent spate of incredible shrinking product sizes, it’s important to double check your grocery store rack labels and their math. I know a lot of people use those white and yellow labels to help decide whether they’re getting a good deal, I use them all the time, but with producers shrinking products, there can often be a mismatch between the label and the product.
For example, Breyer’s recently lowered the size of their ice cream from 1.75 quarts to 1.50 quarts and didn’t change their UPC bar codes. This meant that a 1.75 quart Cookies & Cream had the same bar code as the 1.50 quarter Cookies & Cream. When you combine that with a supermarket staff not advised to change the labeling, you get bad math. Here’s an example:
I apologize for the poor image, I took it with my cell phone, but you can make out that the package size is 1.50 quarts (the new, smaller size). The label shows that the retail price is $4.99 and the unit price is $2.85 per quart.
The unit price is actually $3.33 per quart ($4.99 / 1.5) and the $2.85 per quart unit price applies to the older larger version ($4.99 / 1.75).
Grocery stores aren’t trying to trick you into thinking you’re getting a better deal than you are, they simply aren’t paying close attention - but you have to. Stay sharp!
Print Article
Email Article
Subscribe
del.icio.us
reddit.com
Tags: Screwed Up
Related Posts
- Saving: Not Always About Unit Price
- Truth Behind The Energy Star Label
- Kiplinger Notices Shrinking Credit Card Rebates
- Use eBay for Pricing Information
- Four Companies I’d Promote for Free
Did you like this article? If so, you can get all the latest articles delivered to your email inbox for free each morning by entering your email address in the box below. In addition to receiving all the published articles, you are automatically entered in every giveaway on this site. Your email will only be used to deliver this once-daily subscription and you can subscribe at any time.
8 Comments - Share Your Thoughts
If you find these, ask the manager to give you the item for the unit price, since it’s advertised. They will fix them quickly.
I actually have heard that manufacturers, nowadays, make the same products but - as you mentioned - in a smaller package and didn’t change the price, which is exactly what you’re pointing out. Except: they are fully aware of what they are doing and the not-so-changed price gets carried over to our grocery stores and to us… How nice!
They call it “short-sizing” apparently.
Interesting find…This whole shrinking products thing is an interesting phenomenon because I suspect the majority of consumers still haven’t noticed. A friend of mine said the other day he eats the same 1cup of cereal for breakfast every single day. The other morning he sat down to pour a bowl and the box went empty - a full two days before it normally did! Only then did he notice the drop in net weight listed on the box (the box sizes were even the same, just less product).
You know… products ARE shrinking! The Fig Newtons we opened yesterday appear to be much smaller in size. So small that you can hardly hold them in your hand to take a bite AND not bit your finger too!!!
Package is gone, but will have to check out size when we go to the store again.
I noticed this is happening a lot with our cereal too. They are subtle changes, but a definite decrease in sizes.
Well maybe as we eat less our waistlines will shrink as well
I’ve noticed this trend at least 10 years ago. The first time I noticed was with Hersey’s candy bars. A single one had a net weight of 2.1 ounces. Now it is 1.6 ounces. It’s not just Hersey’s but Mars and almost all candy bars, along with a decrease in the net weight in packaged bags of candy.
I remember when they used to sell 32 ounce packages of Lucky Charms in supermarkets. Now the only place you find these are at places like Sam’s Club and other big outlets where grocers go to resell the products for at least 2 times the price that they purchased them at. I used to go there when I purchased candy, canned fruit and vegetables, snacks, sugar, etc…. I’m sure more people are going to these outlets and stocking up on products that almost all manufacturers are decreasing product sizes. Also, generic is almost outselling name brands. “Brand Name” has a terrible reputation. I hope it shows up in their botton line.
What about shrinking yogurt packages? At one time Dannon and Yoplait used to sell yogurt in 8 ounce cartons and the quality was three times better. They’re 6 ounces (4 ounces for Danactive) and I can’t find any “fruit on the bottom” yogurt any more.
I noticed the disappearing product size act a couple of years ago also, and, if I am not mistaken, there were also a few spots on our local areas news channels about this. Caveat emptor!
Previous Article: « Banking, Credit Card Debt & The Paradox of Choice
Next Article: Introducing the College Grad Money Guide »