Downsizing

Graham_Devon

In packet size!

Was on the BBC this morning that packet sizes appear to be reducing in order to reduce price increases.

Mentioned were Pampers, reducing the size of their packs of nappies from 62 to 58 nappies, but keeping the same price. A brand of buscuits removing 2 buscuits from each pack but keeping the price the same.

Diluted products have also seen a dramatic reduction in the amount of raw product sold, but the price has actually gone up. Were talking laundry products, drinks products etc.

Apparently, all this is an attempt by the manufacturers to reduce the need to pass on cost increases...it's a product price inflation that can't be measured by current statistics.

This apparently has two net effects, we pay more for the price of the products, but more of them, but these increases in our costs are not shown in any figures, and hurts those on fixed incomes the most, especially those on benefits for whom these hidden cost increases won't be allowed for in any rate setting.

Anyone got any other examples? Is it just a few manufacturers, or are we seeing this more and more?

coastline

Sitting here with an ever decreasing Mars bar in my hand watching a 92" TV screen...happy days..;)

grizzly1911

It has been going on for years doesn't anybody notice.

Why is this even on the news.

The size of frozen food packages is another example. Packs dropping from 1Kg to 900g. Soap powder tabs, dropping in number but the packaging remains the same, they just rattle more.

Metrication helps the subterfuge. Pounds dropped to 400g quite often in prepackaged goods.

No different to "improved " "better" marketing when it is the same thing, with no difference in appearance, taste or function but price increases. Same goes for petrol/diesel that is new and improved over basic petrol/diesel refined to the same specification. Not that I use "branded" forecourts that often but I did notice you could get double shell loyalty points if you used the V power pump. I was sorely tempted but the nearly10p litre difference made me go nah, as tempting as it was.

When you have a family you are catering for it becomes more noticeable as the packages that used to feed and clean no longer spread sufficiently.

JimmyTheWig

Graham_Devon wrote: »

it's a product price inflation that can't be measured by current statistics.

Surely the people who do this are clever enough to work this one out, aren't they?
Surely in the basket of goods is, say, 35 nappies rather than "1 packet"?

Thrugelmir

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Anyone got any other examples? Is it just a few manufacturers, or are we seeing this more and more?

Nothing new. How many times over the years has a wagon wheel shrunk?

purch

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Why is this even on the news.

Must be a slow news day !!!

chucknorris

I still haven't got over the 'marathon' bar being called a 'snickers' bar yet, I'm not ready to be told that they are making them smaller. I refuse to conform! Bloody Europeans!

grizzly1911

chucknorris wrote: »

I still haven't got over the 'marathon' bar being called a 'snickers' bar yet, I'm not ready to be told that they are making them smaller. I refuse to conform! Bloody Europeans!

I can't believe it is 65p + to buy one at a confectionery counter.

BobQ

An even better technique is to reduce the product size and keep the packaging the same size.

Generali

Did the BBC really claim that changes in product sizes couldn't be picked up by the ONS in producing inflation figures? If they did then they got that wrong:

Quantity adjustment: this is used when there is a permanent size change in homogenous goods such as food and drink. An adjustment is made to the base price pro rata to the change in the weight or quantity

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/quality/quality-information/economic-statistics/quality-and-methodology-information-for-cpi-and-rpi.pdf

(page 6)

This stuff annoys me. It's a ludicrous idea that the ONS would miss something so obvious as the fact that different quantities of product are sold and it took me about 5 minutes with Google and the ONS website to show they are wrong.

I suspect the trouble is that this fits the BBC's narrative at the moment: the economy is knackered and the Government is trying to hide things from you. You can't trust the Tories.

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

This stuff annoys me. It's a ludicrous idea that the ONS would miss something so obvious as the fact that different quantities of product are sold and it took me about 5 minutes with Google and the ONS website to show they are wrong.

I suspect the trouble is that this fits the BBC's narrative at the moment: the economy is knackered and the Government is trying to hide things from you. You can't trust the Tories.

I don't know whether it is the BBC narrative, or more likely, poor journalism.

It's clear though that this is about subtle ways of charging the consumer more and nothing else. For example, Doritos multipack has just downsized from 6 to 5. Why add a couple of percent to the price when you can downsize the pack and in effect charge considerably more?

For me the measure of how much food has gone up is the price of the staples. You can't so easily hide increases in price in fruit, veg, bread, meat, pasta and basic dried goods.