Packages of food in grocery stores are shrinking faster than anything these days. In fact, the practice has escalated so much that a common term has developed among consumers, the “shrink ray effect.” Some manufacturers are using this idea to their advantage. I spotted one message on a recent bottle of Kraft salad dressing that proclaimed, “Still no shrinkage.” Manufacturers are not only raising prices, but they are also shrinking the amount of product that gets put into the package. I’ll discuss the products I have most frequently seen that suffer from the shrink ray. Later, I’ll address some ideas about beating this practice.
The shrink ray effect can lead to a double impact on your budget. Not only does it cost you money, but it can also affect your recipes and the amount of food you waste. When you are used to adding a can of something and that can contains less than it did before, you are left with either having a poor result in your recipe or opening another can and siphoning off the required number of ounces to make up for the difference. Naturally, the open can will probably go to waste.
Here are some items that I have personally noticed as being victims of the shrink ray. Some of these items have had the same size packages for as long as I can remember paying attention to it, about ten years or so.
Pasta
Most pasta is sold in the standard 1 pound (16-ounce) box, and most recipes that include pasta will reflect this. Those days are over, as I have been spotting many more 12-ounce packages.
Diapers
As if the recent price increase was not enough, at least two major diaper manufacturers just shrunk the amount of diapers in each box by up to 12 percent this month! Huggies Supreme size 3, for example, used to carry 84 diapers. The new count is 80. This shrink is even worse for Pampers. In their bulk packages, they have reduced the amount by 10 to 12 percent, depending on the size and diaper type. The companies that manufacturer these diapers both have seen a double digit growth in sales this past year.
Cookies
Cookies are another item I’ve notice that has been shrinking. A standard package of PB Milanos, which used to be 8 ounces, has dropped to 7 ounces and now to 6 ounces.
Cereal
Cereal amounts are shrinking sometimes within the same size box and sometimes they come with a smaller size box. The shrinking seems to continue over time. At some point, cereal manufacturers will have to include a magnifying glass as the toy within the box so consumers will actually be able to see whatever cereal is left.
Next time, I’ll share the coping strategies I use to avoid losing out to the shrink ray. Have you noticed the shrink ray effecting your groceries?
The package amounts were observed from local stores here in Pennsylvania, such as Giant Food Stores. Your amounts may vary according to product distribution schedules. Proctor and Gamble, the makers of Pampers Diapers (as well as other products), reported a sales growth of 33 percent. Kimberly-Clark, the maker of Huggies diapers (as well as other products) reported a sales growth of 11.2 percent. You can learn more about the sales information of these companies by visiting their websites.
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