As if things aren't expensive enough

[InConstantNeedOfAGin]

As if things aren't expensive enough, I open my DDs new container of milk, seems a little short and, lo and behold, they've dropped the amount by 100g and yet the price is still the same!
Seems like a small issue, I know, but it's really got my back up today!

Stealth pricing is very much a thing right now. They repackage a product and reduce the previous content be it baby milk, razors or virtually anything else.

The retailers then hope the customers won’t notice.

They've changed the ingredients too apparently so you might want to phase it in slowly.

There have been lots of complaints about it curdling and causing illness. Check Facebook and twitter and I would make up a bottle and leave it standing for a while to check it looks normal.

I bought a pack of Jaffa Cakes last week - there were only 10 in the box compared to 12 when I last bought them.

Thieving cake/biscuit bastards.

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@Twigwonderkid that's actually quite a scary read. I haven't given her any of the new one yet, but I'm worried to try now.

they call it shrinkflation

Sainsbury pecan and maple cluster cereal. Contents reach only 2/3 of the height of the box in an unsettled state (that is being generous to say 2/3 btw).

Yes, of course they will say they provide a cost comparison per 100g on the shelf label, so what are you complaining about??? But with all their hype about caring for the customer's pocket you'd still hope that would be backed up with a modicum of further transparency, as naive as that hope inevitably turns out to be...

The only transparent thing about the transaction is the air in each over-sized pack.

They could reduce packaging production costs and the associated impact on the environment.

The same goes with regard to the costs (financial and environmental) of transporting around the country a needless volume of air, well in excess of the amount needed to protect the packed contents, and allowing that 'contents may settle in transit'.

I suspect all supermarkets would only need wagons one third the size we see on the roads if 'rational thought and honesty' were to gain ascendance over 'profit margins'. Or alternatively reduce the number of trips made. And surely that could be a 'win' for retailer, consumer and environment?

Sainsbury economy washing up liquid (noted last year). Same size, bottle reduced content. The lack of honesty in 'diddling' those who most likely need to achieve the best value they can for their money sticks in my craw.

@Madisonavenue
10 is the modern dozen. Like supermarket roses!

Have they changed the formula on the ready made bottles of aptamil 1 too??
I am bf as much as I can but ds gets the odd bottle - hence buying the ready made stuff. Starting back to work properly in August so had been going to buy the powder for when he is at the childminder now worried about doing that..

Ouch, a 10% price increase on formula which is already expensive, whilst I appreciate formula not being marketed, on a low income formula is a massive chunk.

Is this the new aptamil? That's so annoying :(

I have to buy a tub of formula every 5-6 days, which might actually be more frequent now there is less in it. At £11 a tub, it's proving pretty pricey as it is, this will only increase it. On top of that, I buy the 4 pack of little pre-made feeds for when me and DD are out and about, usually buy 1 of those a week too. After reading certain things about the change of ingredients, I really hope it doesn't make the baby sick!

They’ve always done this. Wagon Wheels used to be the size of actual wagon wheels, now they’re about the size of a 10p piece...
It’s a marketing thing, they reckon more people will continue to buy a smaller product at the same price, than the same sized product at an increased price.

I work in a shop. It's not the 'retailer' as such, it's the Men At The Top who decide these things. Customers often complain to me (behind the till) about price rises and shrinking products, as though I'm responsible!

We have to buy food too, and at NMW, these smallening of products affect us more than most!

The standard big Galaxy bars were 114 grams a few months ago. Now they're 100 grams but same price. We're just being ripped off from every corner of life.

There was a lot of this going round in 2008/09 - stealth inflation. Food prices look like they are staying the same but the portions are smaller. They don't want to panic everyone with price increases, or be seen to be putting prices up - just like at the beginning of the recession.

Of course when the prices do go up it will be double bubble the amounts will be smaller, but the price will go up too.

When Brexit actually hits it is going to be much worse - buckle up people.

This drives me nuts. They think we are too stupid to notice.

Has anyone else noticed how much smaller ice cream lollies are getting? You know how mars bars etc have shrunk beyond all recognition so now they are barely a mouthful....well they are doing it with our ice creams now too, making them an appropriate size only for smurfs. Give me a proper portion! Bastards.

I have only just gotten over them doing this with bake-in-store bags of cookies. They are half the size they used to be.

Although I appreciate that for some families doing this with formula milk is actually no laughing matter whatsoever, that is hitting families where it hurts, it's not exactly a luxury, it's an essential.

We used to buy pate in Tesco. Last month the made the box so small there is hardly enough for one sandwhich. I try not to use too much single use plastic and cannot justify buying it anymore, so I switched to Aldis.

Realistically, most parents going to go without pretty much anything else rather than not buy formula so you're a pretty captive audience.

Don’t buy aptamil, get cow and gate instead. Identical product, cow and gate a couple of quid cheaper!

I’m sure I read on a thread here the other day that Aldi formula also near identical to aptamil... might be worth a google?

Aptamil is marketed as middle class milk but the ingredients are the same as cow and gate. They are made in the same factory.

It's a choice between the price going up for the same amount or the amount going down for the same price. The end result is the same but loss aversion seems to kick in so people feel more aggrieved (when they notice). Personally I don't care either way, except that as someone who's overweight and likes snacking, I'm quite pleased when a treat reduces in size rather than goes up in price as it means I eat fewer calories!