Uncle Bens Rice - Shrinkflation

[Nearlyadoctor]

Uncle Bens microwave rice I tend to buy on occasion the Mexican style one to go with chicken for a quick tea if I’m working late. I’ve bought 2 packets today and as I’ve put them in cupboard noticed they gone from 250g to 220g . The packets have stayed the same size, and this is in the last couple of weeks as I forgot I’d already bought 2 packs since Christmas.
Shrinkflation is getting ridiculous I’d rather the prices went up a bit as a packet will just stretch to 2 people with chicken, broccoli etc but now it’s going to be harder. I know the prices are going up as well 🙄

Agree it's a double whammy of a price increase and then having to buy two packs of something to get more than you need as one isn't enough. I think that part is also planned

The best part is, it's rice! Can't really get much cheaper than that. They're really penny pinching.

The uncle has left the kitchen.

220 gram is just enough for 2?
I use 80 gr for 1 person. But okay maybe we eat less pr more vegs. I don't know.

I stopped buying expensive brands long ago and buy supermarkets own cheaper bags but yes, it is disguisting this shrinkflation.

The funny thing is you can buy a Sistema microwave rice cooker and cook 3 portions for 25p

You can freeze it and cook for approx 4 minutes from frozen saving you time

This is mine

You can see I bought it 11 years ago and it's still going strong after weekly use

Just add one cup of rice and 2 cups of water and cook for 15 mins

I do rinse the rice and refill with the exact same amount of water I pour out to keep the measurements as is

I've tried various microwave rice and it doesn't really taste very nice imho

A bit dry, rubbery and plastic

Just don't buy it. Ordinary rice is so quick and easy to cook . And it doesn't take a moment to fry, e.g. a bit of pepper and spices to stir into it. Uncle Ben garbage is a rip off. Food companies can't make enough profit from selling basic ingredients. They con us by charging £££££ for UPFs that, in reality, don't really save much time in the kitchen at all.

@AlbertCamusflage @KittenPause - thank you for your opinions but I wasn’t actually asking how to cook rice etc of which I’m more than capable. After a 14hour shift and sometimes long operations I don’t really want to get home at 10pm and start getting out frying pans, I actually want a quick shower and something to eat. Yes it is a bit rubbery etc but it serves a purpose on those nights.
I buy very little UPF due to their lack of nutrition and general additives but like everything there is a place for them on occasion.

I was just commenting on the Shrinkflation and the fact it was yet another product to which it was happening.

I have switched to supermarket own brand. It can be half the price.

I just checked a packet of Lidl own brand in my cupboard and it's 250g. I think it cost about 65p as well. Don't stand for being ripped off!

I just use rice and a pan. I dont like microwave rice, the frozen stuff can be ok, I don't like pre grated cheese either but I'm fussy. It did take years to perfect my rice cooking though!

I just cook the rice. It's not difficult. Worldwide Long Grain White Rice 1kg | ALDI
52p

Good for you - you obviously haven’t read the whole thread . This is not a debate on the rights or wrongs of microwave rice - just a post about more Shrinkflation

I have bought the Aldi one in the past and it’s fine. It’s not really about the cost more the fact that so many things we buy are shrinking in size.

Indeed - they've already shrunk the brand name by 50% (and that's if we're being generous and counting the apostrophe as a letter)!

That’s just depressing. So that makes it slightly more than 10% more expensice and then they raise the prices aswell!! But what pisses me off is the sneakiness, reducing the amount of rice whilst keeping the size of the pack the same so people won’t notice??
With all these package reductions and increases in costs, how much has food gone up? Who the hell can tell

Why buy branded? It's a waste of money. A lot of supermarket versions are just as good if not better. Sainsburys egg fried rice is way better than branded for starters.

Op, im reading some of the replies you received and chuckling to myself. I think you should have started your post by saying
‘’this thread is about the cost of uncle Ben’s packets or rice. This is not a moan about my inability to afford it, nor a desire to know what other rice options are out there, nor am I wanting to know how to cook rice from scratch, not am I etc etc etc’’

And then you can start writing your actual message 😂😂😂

Thank you - someone that actually gets what the thread was about . Your starting gambit is so much better than mine, if a start another thread anytime I shall put multiple disclaimers and explain everything in words of one syllable what the actual point of the thread is 😂😂

I was horrified today when doing an online shop that a pack of twirls is now a 3 pack for £2.10. I didn’t buy any as I was so annoyed. I’m sure they used to be a five pack then a four pack. Where will it stop. I know it’s small world problems but it adds up.

Plenty of posters across MN still prefer to just skim the thread title, guess what it might be about and then berate you based on their imagination of what you must have written, though!

I don't understand why anyone buys brands in the first place. Usually no better product and so much more expensive. Ben's (the Uncle part was removed a few years ago because it was felt to have inappropriate connotations) and Tilda are more than double that, although often on offer for 2 for £2.

We also have the microwave rice cooker but when we want flavoured rice, eg to go with a takeaway instead of paying £2/3 from the takeaway we sometimes use these. I don't like the Aldi ones as they seem very clumpy but I do like the Waitrose pilau and egg fried rice ones, which are 75 p for 250 g.

@Bjorkdidit - read the thread it’s not about the rights or wrongs of which rice to buy 🤷‍♀️. It’s about Shrinking package sizes whether it be rice or chocolate bars.

Well write to the company that makes Ben's rice and tell them you're unhappy they've reduced the pack size.

I suppose this is what happens you have a generation with no experience of noticeable inflation.

Otherwise you'd realise that shrinking pack sizes, often with price rises is inevitable.

In the last 4/5 years everything that goes into production of processed food has gone up significantly. Utilities have at least doubled. Labour costs at the lower end ie NMW, probably up close to 50%. Ingredients also doubled. Packaging has also likely increased in price especially as the company has probably spent a lot on researching plastic reduction strategies.

So we can't expect to continue to pay the same price for the same amount of food. Something has to give.

The price we pay in the shops is often driven by the large supermarkets who tell the retailers they want to sell a product at a certain price and also want to make a certain profit so the manufacturer has to sell the item at that price while covering their own costs and making a profit so reducing the amount of product is part of making this work.

As a consumer you need to accept this or not buy that item.