The size of food getting smaller and smaller

a reply to: JAGStorm

In the last 5 years, yes. 2 months, no. As inflation happens one of two things must follow. Prices go up, sizes go down. So over the past 5 or 10 years it has certainly occurred. I have seen zero change in the past few months. Our food lasts 2 weeks same as always and we spend the same amount.

a reply to: Phoenix

No kids yet, so I can't attest to that. I highly doubt there has been significant change in the past 2 months though. Past 5 years, sure, I will have no problems believing that.

well i don't know about it just being over the last 2 months but i have seen a trend, in food packaging, for reduced content selling for the same (if not slightly increased) prices. i think this has been going on for quite some time.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Its been like boiling frogs for about 10-15 years and has accelerated in the past two by my grocery shopping experiences.

a reply to: Phoenix

Now that is something I can buy into. A huge sudden change in the past 2 months is not something I will agree with. I actually see a deceleration in the past 2 years. Our food bill was getting a little bigger over time. No change at all in the past 2 years.

The size of mainstream beef jerky packages have decreased 3 times in the last 2 years, and definitely has in the last 3 months.

It got to the point that I started making my own.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: JAGStorm

I see no difference at all. Can you give some examples?

Here is a great example. I don't eat Oreos, actually really hate them but the size difference is spot on and a perfect example.

theretrodad.blogspot.com...

Depends on which type you buy.
I have a pack of Oreos in the fridge now.
Looks to be the same size as it was when I was a kid
And that was a long time ago.

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: JAGStorm

I see no difference at all. Can you give some examples?

Here is a great example. I don't eat Oreos, actually really hate them but the size difference is spot on and a perfect example.

theretrodad.blogspot.com...

Depends on which type you buy.
I have a pack of Oreos in the fridge now.
Looks to be the same size as it was when I was a kid
And that was a long time ago.

They don't last long for me these days, but that might have to do with the fact that I buy doublestuffed and make quadruplestuffed oreos out of them. So in reality there is only like a dozen cookies in a pack.

I dunno about food... but my hands are HUUUUGE....



*stares at navel*

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: smurfy

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Has anyone noticed that the size of food/packaging has shrunk considerably in the last two months.

I know this has been happening for a while, but this is worse than I've seen in 20+ years.
It seems across the board sizes are shrinking and product inside those packages are shrinking too.
Less food and higher cost.

I cook from scratch and have had a big family. I know sizes, portions and cost pretty darn well. This is getting bad.

My goal is to grow / raise as much as I can. I think things are going to get much worse much faster than people realize.

Ahh! yet another Mars bar complainer...do you not realise that when you were little, a Mars bar would seem huge, while nowadays it looks anaemic..that's just because you are bigger...and greedier..(secret advice) more than one or two will still make you sick anyway..Smurfy, CEO, nEsTle very limited....

I'm not talking about when I was a little kid, we won't even go there, many of these products didn't even exist!
I'm talking about just in the last few months. btw I don't eat Mars bars, yuck!

Ohh dear,
I was being humorous...a bit of levity...thing is, business is business, and the code/s of Marginal Satisfaction, perhaps called Marginal/Diminishing Utility in the US, is the oldest/s trick in the book.
all that needs really is for the nutritional value, or otherwise.(in the case of food) for instance to be a constant, like the taste of it...kind of pro rata.
However it is also within the political regime to make advantage of particular circumstances..like the pig crisis in China, to make hay when the Sun shines for instance, hence fewer piggies for Americans and the UK's inhabitants, allowing those countries politicians to make claim to, (in the case of the UK political situation) a new 'global' market, and for American current politicians, a trade, or new tariff agreement....in both cases, probably a fairly short-lived one..

a reply to: smurfy

Shrinkflation is very real.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: JAGStorm

In the last 5 years, yes. 2 months, no. As inflation happens one of two things must follow. Prices go up, sizes go down. So over the past 5 or 10 years it has certainly occurred. I have seen zero change in the past few months. Our food lasts 2 weeks same as always and we spend the same amount.

The advertising is awesome tho. "Fun Size" is ny favorite. Who among us has not had fun unwrapping thirty fun size mini snickers to produce 1 normal size candy bar?

originally posted by: drewlander
a reply to: smurfy

Shrinkflation is very real.

That coupled with people's rear ends growing at an alarming rate causing a perception that there is less food.

That's probably not a bad thing.... look at the overweight and obesity rates in America, they are sky rocketing!

originally posted by: MisterSpock

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: JAGStorm

I see no difference at all. Can you give some examples?

Here is a great example. I don't eat Oreos, actually really hate them but the size difference is spot on and a perfect example.

theretrodad.blogspot.com...

Depends on which type you buy.
I have a pack of Oreos in the fridge now.
Looks to be the same size as it was when I was a kid
And that was a long time ago.

They don't last long for me these days, but that might have to do with the fact that I buy doublestuffed and make quadruplestuffed oreos out of them. So in reality there is only like a dozen cookies in a pack.

In the pack I have there are 3 rows of 15(?).
They are regular though

I haven't noticed any changes in the last few months. Over the last few years, that is nothing new.
But then, we try to buy as little processed foods as possible. Sugar is the big demon for us.


In non-food items, the size of toilet paper rolls has decreased in the last year. And the price has gone up a bit in the last few months.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Has anyone noticed that the size of food/packaging has shrunk considerably in the last two months.

I know this has been happening for a while, but this is worse than I've seen in 20+ years.
It seems across the board sizes are shrinking and product inside those packages are shrinking too.
Less food and higher cost.

I cook from scratch and have had a big family. I know sizes, portions and cost pretty darn well. This is getting bad.

My goal is to grow / raise as much as I can. I think things are going to get much worse much faster than people realize.

Very astute...a long time ago maybe 10 months Campbells soups were down graded in quality.....it was noticeable....its not only quantity its also quality.

I would like to think that it's because the suppliers know people are becoming more health conscious, but we all know it's so that the suppliers can make more profit off of something we can literally not live without.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Well with people becoming more obese in our first world nations by the minute.

It might not be a bad thing should portions decrease.

As long as the cost refects the reduction in size.

Which it won't of course.

Still, our first world nations nevermind our respective medical establishments need less fat people.

And i don't mean people who are a few pounds overweight, i mean poor souls who are killing themselves slowly by default.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: JAGStorm

Well with people becoming more obese in our first world nations by the minute.

It might not be a bad thing should portions decrease.

As long as the cost refects the reduction in size.

Which it won't of course.

Still, our first world nations nevermind our respective medical establishments need less fat people.

And i don't mean people who are a few pounds overweight, i mean poor souls who are killing themselves slowly by default.

spot on.

They are also making all our medical insurance premiums go up. I read a report today that overweight and obese people average over $5000 more per year in medical costs than those who are fit.