Jul 01 2008
RamblerSupersize is Shrinking
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Americans and just about everything that we like to buy are testaments to SUPERsizes.
However, rising commodity and fuel prices are driving up costs for everyone, including manufacturers. When presented with a choice between raising prices or quietly putting less ounces in a bag, carton or cup manufacturers are choosing the latter. Just this month, Kellogg’s started shipping some of their popular breakfast cereals with an average of 2.4 fewer ounces per box.
Other planned product reductions include: Tropicana orange juice containers are shrinking from 96 ounces to 89; Wrigley’s is dropping its the 17-stick PlenTPak in favor of the 15-stick Slim Pack; Dial soap bars now weigh half an ounce less.
Most people know prices but they don’t know how much is actually in a package. Reducing the size of products as a way of increasing prices is not new. This is definitely an effect of rising food costs and rising fuel costs, however.
Other areas of business have made similar moves to pass on higher costs to the consumer without raising prices directly. American Airlines is now charging for checked luggage.
To keep track of prices, the best way to compare products if you’re not sure if sizes have changed is to look at the “unit price,” which breaks down the cost per ounce or per quart.
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