To ask for things that you believe have declined in quality

[JMSA]

I'll kick it off with Fairy Liquid!
Has anyone else noticed this? I have a dishwasher but often wash certain things, eg my big frying pan, by hand. You'd certainly need a mighty big squeeze these days, for a proper foamy lather.
Anything else? If nobody mentions Cadbury's chocolate, I will eat the Oodie I'm currently wearing

This seems to happen to me all the time in restaurants. I find something I really like and then over time the price increases dramatically and the quality and/or quantity decreases, until eventually it disappears off the menu. I know things can't stay the same forever, but I notice this a lot.

General quality of household goods. When I visit my dad I notice everyday items in the house that were around when I was small and are still going strong over 40 years later. I had to replace a set of kitchen scales recently (less than 2 years old) my dad has a set my mum bought in the mid 1970s that still work perfectly well. Things are just not bought to last these days. I also think our parent's generation just didn't throw stuff away.

Cadburys chocolates and a lot of treats I remember from my childhood now taste rank which has it's positives as I just do not buy sweets for my DC.

Agree re. customer service. Lol at the PP who thinks it's emotionally taxing for young people working in retail to behave politely. I'm trying to imagine what the manager of the Woolworths store I worked in when I was 16 would have said if I told him it was "too draining" to smile at customers (or should that be too triggering, everything is a trigger these days). I'm honestly not surprised young people today struggle to cope with things their peers a generation ago managed perfectly fine. The level of coddling and insistence that we cannot place any expecations on their shoulders is mind boggling.

Agree with those who mentioned toilet roll. Andrews has become so thin and crap that I've switched.

I've noticed M&S shoes as well @Foy19. The lining in the last 2 pairs I bought for DS worn through within weeks.

I was thinking the same. I'm in the north of England and the staff in the stores I visit are always lovely.

Customer service in banks. Bloody awful. For years I had a local branch. They knew me and I would go in regularly to pay money in and pay bills etc. We had a brief falling out when they tried the hard sell for an account that had a monthly charge but I held fast and they gave up on that one eventually. Now, they've shut the local branch and I have to schlep into town to speak to human beings. And all they are bothered about isnt what i have come into branch for but instead trying to convince me to use online services and stop using humans. Fuckin awful. I don't trust online banks, I hate trying to resolve issues online or with bots or with call centres miles away. I also believe in continuing to use cash.
Makes me feel so unwelcome. I'm a customer, sorry if that is inconvenient for them!

@ocsober you shouldn't be on the roads. What would you do without your precious reversing cameras?

YY to previously mentioned quality of clothes (M&S knickers falling apart after half a dozen washes!!) and chocolate. In addition:

Hard cheese like cheddar. Doesn’t melt properly any more, just separates into a weird gloop and an oily substance. Not had cheese on toast for ages now thanks to this.

Radley handbags used to be the most wonderful soft leather, now they use cheaper harder leather but still charge the high prices.

TV scheduling in the terrestrial channels. On Bank holidays you used to be guaranteed a Bond film on one channel and a family favourite like sound of music on the other. Now it’s wall to wall Bargain Hunt/Homes under the Hammer/Escape to the Country whatever the day of the week.

I know this isn't about phones and I haven't got mine yet so I can't vouch for it but Fairphone 5 have updates for years and apparently they actively invite you to maintain it and replace the battery with online tutorials.

I've only bought the original fairy for years (one of v v few things I'm brand loyal too) cos the other versions of fairy especially Plantinum are crap, is the Original now crap as well?

Takeaways and restaurant food.

I had a margarita pizza from pizza with next to no cheese on. I assume rationed.

I asked for cheddar to be swapped to mozzarella in a restaurant on a burger. They said yes but a surcharge of £3.50 will be added. Not a chance

All UK chocolate. No exceptions.

I buy Fairy liquid here in Spain and it's different from the stuff I buy in the UK. It's in an opaque bottle and is pale green. It's brilliant, just the tiniest squeeze makes loads of bubbles.

dont think so. its not so long ago that that there were serious people of substance on all sides of the house. I just dont believe that even 20 years a fuckwit like, to pick one at random, Dawn "people are born without a sex", "all giraffes are gay" Butler would have even got within a mile of selection, let alone elected.

Sesi or Ecover are the best washing up liquids. Sesi you can often get in refill/eco shops. Fairy does something weird to my digestive system. Not a fan.

Chocolate - full size bars are now the old treat size bars but full price and it doesn't taste the same now cadburies got taken over.

Toilet and kitchen roll - so thin now.

Fewer staffed tills in supermarkets. I don't really like using self service but frequently have no choice.

Online only shops and banks - sometimes you want to talk to a real person.

General quality of most items. Things break easier than they used to.

walnut whips-they used to have a second walnut inside at the bottom. In truth though pretty much everything started going to hell in a handcart when bounty bars did away with the cardboard support tray. Cunts.

Pretty much everything but clothing especially. Price is no guarantee of quality.
I buy pretty much everything on Vinted as the older fabrics are much better
Even pants labelled as cotton are see though
Toilet roll

My DH recently decided to get rid of some of his boxers. I thought I’d give them a try and the quality is better than most of my knickers. I wonder if it’s worth looking at blokes’ clothing as a comparison too?

Bowfin' is West of Scotland.

I do like the fairy liquid upside down bottles though. Very handy

The Lake District?? I always get a great service in the Lakes but they know the value of good customer service and repeat tourism

Especially Marks & Spencer. I have M&S 'old' knickers still going strong whereas their new ones are being binned. Crazy.

As for their socks,,, Forget it!

Pyjamas, from anywhere.

I decided to upgrade from Primark (it was a substantial upgrade) and whilst my new pyjamas have lasted longer, they're still obviously worn. I don't remember this being an issue when I was younger.

I am open to recommendations!

Jeans. If I'm buying jeans I want them to be denim which is a decent weight and at least 95% cotton not lightweight pale blue polyester.

Eh? Why would you use a resource (your eyes) that see much less than another resource (a camera)?!