Shrinking isotonic beverage bottles in the United States. Photo: AP
There are a inflation that is not seen
From toilet paper to yogurt, from coffee to flour, the producers are silently shrinking of their packaging instead of raising prices. See no damage: in these inflationary times, everything shrinks.
It’s a world phenomenon.
In the United States, a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues, five less than a few months ago.
In the United States, a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues, five fewer. Photo: AP
The Chobani Flips Yogurt Container offers 4.5 ounces (127 grams) today, up from 5.3 (150 grams) recently.
In the UK, a can of American Azera Nescafe today weighs 90 grams, instead of 100. In India, Vim dish soap weighs 135 grams, up from 155 grams.
an old acquaintance
Reduce the size of packages and products it is not something new, according to experts. But it proliferates during times of high inflation.
“It’s the waves. And we’re in the middle of a wave of inflation,” said Edgar Dworsky, a former Massachusetts Deputy Attorney General who studies inflation for his Consumer World website.
Dworsky began to notice this boxes of cereals they were dwarfed by the end of last year. From that moment on the phenomenon intensified.
you can mention dozens of examples, like Cottonelle’s Ultra Clean Care Toilet Paper, which now has 312 layers compared to 340 before, or Folgers Coffee, which now offers 43.5 ounces instead of 51, but still says you can make 400 cups of coffee. (Folgers claims to use new technology that produces lighter grains.)
Two bottles of Gatorade, one larger than the other, in the US Photo: AP
“shrinkage”
The concept of shrinkage (English expression that combines words “shrinkage” and “inflation”) is interesting for companies because the customer notices a price increase but hardly keeps track of it. how many sheets of paper are in the toilet paper or see how much coffee there is in a container.
Companies can also use tricks to disguise the reduction in the size or quantity of a product, such as the use of more colorful labels That divert attention of the buyer.
This is exactly what Fritos did. Fritos Scoops “Party Size” bags weighed 18 ounces. They now contain 15.5 ounces and their price has increased.
Toilet paper rolls also shrink. Photo: Bloomberg
PepsiCo did not answer the question about Fritos. But he admitted he downsized the Gatorade bottles. The 32-ounce bottles are giving way to the 28-ounce ones, shrunk in the middle to make them easier to hold.
PepsiCo said the change has been happening for years and is not related to inflation. It hasn’t made it clear why the 28-ounce bottle is more expensive.
Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer of Cottonelle and Kleenex, also did not respond to requests for comment on reducing the size of its products.
Less fabrics than before. Photo: AP
Not even Proctor & Gamble Co. asked about reducing the size (from 12 to 10.4 ounces) of Pantene Pro-V Curl Perfection hair softener, which it’s still $ 3.99.
Some companies allow changes. In Japan, Calbee Inc., which produces snacks, has announced this reduced the weight of its packaging by 10% and raised its prices by 10%. He attributed this to rising raw material costs.
Domino pizza in January he said he would offer eight chicken wings instead of 10 for the same price as ever, $ 7.99. She justified it by saying that chicken was more expensive.
In India, the reduction in package size is mostly in rural areas, where people are poorer and more sensitive to the increases prices, according to Byas Anand, an executive at Dabur India, which produces a variety of foods. In cities, it simply raises prices.
“My company has been doing this openly for years,” said Anand.
Experts say that when you reduce the size of a package, hardly ever return to its old dimension.
By Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press
Ashok Sharma (New Delhi) and Kelvin Chan (London) contributed to this report.
ap
Source: Clarin
