If you remember way back in elementary school when you took math, there was the term Lowest Common Denominator. It referred to the lower common number you could convert two fractions.
Many times when I talk about price comparisons, I will convert products into ounces. I will say generic strawberry jam at Wal Mart is 7.75 cents per ounce. Then at WINCO their strawberry jam is 7.6 per ounce. Once jar is 32 ounce, and the other store’s jar is 46 ounce.
This is very common practice. For the consumer it can be very deceptive. By human nature we look at the price, and don’t really pay that close attention to the container size.
Whenever I go shopping, I convert cost of especially food items to the least common denominator. Otherwise I would be comparing apples to oranges.
In the past year, there has been several stories in the news how different manufactures have made the size of their package smaller, while appearing to only changing their label. This has been done for years. Thanks to the internet and more consumer watch groups, manufactures are not getting away with this slight of hand.
My blood really started to boil when I notice the weight of my favorite brand of peanut butter dropped by 3 ounces for a regular size jar. Then on the NBC Today show the story broke that dimple in the bottom of peanut butter jars had increased in size. This made for the jar appearing the same size while holding less peanut butter.
The Consumerist has a whole category titled, “Grocery Shrink Ray“. Here he documents products, off the grocery shelves that have shrunk. Items that once was standard size are now title Bonus Packs.
Have you notice any shrinkage in package foods you buy? You may be paying more per ounce?
Tell me about what you have notice. In the next week or two I will write a follow up post listing some of those items.
This post is beyond awesome. I am always wondering what to do and what not to do so I will follow some of these tips.
Just like normal you’ve offered some excellent knowledge. Been a lurker on the website for a short time and needed to thank you for finding the time to write it.