Paying the Same for Less Product

Have you noticed there seems to be less amount of product in what looks like the same packaging and the cost is still the same? If you haven't you should take a look at the package, there may be slight difference from the last time you bought your favorite brand.

Because of the rising cost of ingredients manufacturers have been giving us less for our money. Most times you can't tell that you are getting less unless you look really well. For instance a jar of Skippy peanut butter costs the same and the jar looks the same size, but if you turn the jar upside down there is a slight dimple in it now. This is how they have designed the newer jars so that consumers are getting less product.

The packages of gum used to have 17 sticks in them, now they have 15 sticks of gum in them. Some brand name cereal boxes now have 8.9 ounces instead of the 10.0 ounces they used to have, but the box is still the same size there's just less in them.

Have you noticed the smaller containers of Ice Cream? You are paying the same amount of money or in some cases more for less of the product. It's time for the consumers to start looking at the amount of product they are getting and paying for. If you notice you are paying the same price for less of the product, maybe you should consider switching to another brand.

Not all manufacturers are doing this, but enough of them are that doing your grocery shopping next time may make you think twice about what brands you are buying. Most manufacturers don't think people will switch, they think we will quietly sit back and not say anything about the fact that they have done this without letting the buying public know about it.

Manufacturers have no problem letting us know when they change the shape, color or design of the box or product, but when it comes to putting less product in the box they have said very little.

They are calling this downsizing of products, but what it really amounts to is the consumer getting ripped off. If consumers revolt and raise a stink about this less than truthful selling tactic it might just end. If manufacturers stop making the profits they are used to because we stop buying their products, they might actually stop taking advantage of us. It's up to consumers to let these manufacturers know that we will stop buying their brands all together if we are getting ripped off. Most manufacturers think we will keep on buying their brand name products because we are all more concerned with having the brand names we are used to.

Frito Lay has cut its bags of chips from 12 ounce to 10 ounce. A jar of Hellmann's Mayonnaise used to hold 32 ounces and now has 30 ounces. Shedd's Spread Country Crock now has 45 ounces when it used to have 48 ounces. These are just a few of the product changes and most people haven't noticed the prices are the same but the amount is different.

Have you noticed the yogurt used to be 8 ounces and most are now 6 ounces? Dannon now has a 4 ounce yogurt called Activia that is doing very well. What will be next? Will we soon see one bite yogurt on a spoon?

Switching to store brands instead of buying the brand names can save you money and a lot of times the store brands are made by the same manufacturers as the name brands and they taste almost the same as the name brands.

If you don't like what you see the next time you go grocery shopping, let the manufacturers know it. Call the 800 numbers on the back of the products and let the companies know that you noticed. Let them know you may switch to a different brand and let them know you will be spreading the word about these unfair practices to others. If enough consumers complain, write or call the company's maybe they will get the message and stop trying to hide the truth from us.