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Shrinking Sizes & Rising Prices
Straker
Posts: 79,657 Forum Member
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Waitrose Indian Rices, previously 350gm now 300gm. Shrinkage coincides with a total repackaging AND a promotion on said rice so I guess they`re hoping us dumb sheep won`t notice. Ironically the package carries a "25% off" sticker referring to the promo price when really the truth is the contents are @15% smaller. Promotion ends in a couple of weeks so at that time people will (mostly) unknowingly be paying even more for less. Shelf-edge offer notice still had the old size details on so they are effectively misleading punters right now. Their Chinese rices are currently staying the same size but after this I fully expect a repackaging of those to signal similar bait-and-switch tactics.
Expect this kind of tactic from some of the less prestigious supermarkets but I guess they`re all the same at heart.
Any other notable ones to watch out for?
Expect this kind of tactic from some of the less prestigious supermarkets but I guess they`re all the same at heart.
Any other notable ones to watch out for?
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My mum keeps saying she's sure you get fewer slices of bread in a Hovis than you used to, but I haven't noticed.
The most obvious one for me is tins of Quality Street and the like. Compared to what you used to get they are absolutely tiny, and made with cheaper packaging (plastic instead of metal) but still around £5 each.
We couldn't believe the size of the tortillas and they didn't really puff up in the pan.
Very annoyed.
We no buy Pepsi that is still in 2l size at the same pricing or less. The price annoys me, but reducing the capacity whilst taking the same space in my fridge annoys me even more!
Lots aren't though. Wagon Wheels for a start.
I have to disagree. Wagon Wheels are at least a third smaller then when I was a kid.
Thing is they most definitely aren't, you are just imagining it. They adjusted sizes in line with other countries which meant they reduced ever so slightly but that was it.
I don't believe they are smaller, but they are definitely more stingy with the mallow and chocolate. I bought one recently and you could easily see the biscuit through the chocolate.
No agree with MTUK1. Wagon Wheels have shrunk several times over the years. They were definitely bigger when I was kid.
They have shrunk in width by 5mm. You must have some eyesight.
Also most things were bigger when you were a kid. It's called perception.
No a lot more than 5mm. If my mum was still alive I would ask her as she worked in Burton's Slough factory for a while.
I am sure by the time it gets the point where food is too expensive to buy for many people the Government will give the green light to a two year investigation on whether the Supermarkets are pricing food fairly... the results of that investigation will be mulled over for a further year and a half. The result will probably be a stiff warning to supermarkets to buck up their ideas or else.
No, it's whats called a fact. Look it up if you don't believe me.
I have looked at Wikipedia and Burtons website. Wikipedia confirms the size has changed but needs citations and Burtons deny it, how I don't know.
They came in open top bags and were about 4" diameter and had real chocolate as the coating, not the mini things you get now with chocolate substitute.
So you believe what you want.
All I'll say is that it's funny how all the people who claim Wagon Wheels have dramatically shrunk have absolutely zero evidence to back their claims up.
Hysterical.
With hindsight I should have had the forethought to measure one to post on a internet forum forty years later. Kids eh!
If you look at Wikipedia they do state the size is smaller now.
I think what some people object to is that the shrinkage seems tricksy, with manufacturers using a 'repackaging' to cover what they're doing, some even telling us it's 'new and improved' or some such nonsense. If you ever find that your favorite product is unavailable for week or two, it's likely they're changing the size/price, so they tell you it's out of stock as they don't want any 'old' packages around for comparison. ;-)