Prices on paper goods are going up again, but you’d never know it because the packages look about the same and you pay the same at the checkout. But you are getting less in each package.
Kleenex Tissues
The boxes are the same size but Kleenex is giving you 10% fewer tissues. Thanks to Leif S. for spotting this downsizing in progress right now.
*MOUSE PRINT:
Brawny Paper Towels
Brawny has a long history of downsizing its paper towels. This time, packages are going from 87 sheets down to 80 sheets — almost a 10% reduction.
*MOUSE PRINT:
Downy Unstoppables
*MOUSE PRINT:
P&G recently came out with new bottles of Downy Unstoppables laundry fragrance enhancers. The bottle is slightly larger but the contents actually weigh 25% less. That’s a big downsizing… seemingly. Even more surprising, when tossing these pellets in water, they float, whereas the old ones sunk to the bottom. Checking with customer service revealed what had really changed. The product engineers at P&G removed some of the dead weight from each pellet making them lighter. That cut the net weight of each bottle by a quarter, but the number of laundry loads you get remained the same. So it only looked like Unstoppables had been downsized.
If you spot a new example of a product being downsized, please try to take a sharp picture of both the old and the new packages and send it to: edgar (at symbol) mouseprint.org . Thanks.
WHO needs “Laundry Fragrance” ?? Come on, the less chemicals in your textiles the better. Contact allergy is a pain..
The same can be said for Softeners, by the way..
I strongly believe that paper towels will downsize into negative space.
I think it’s apparent by now that manufacturers are in business to make a profit, not to serve a community or provide needed products to consumers. Today’s companies can’t afford to cater to people or their choices because it’s all about the bottom line and satisfying their investors. When they can get you to pay for 90 items at the same price you used to pay for 100 items, they are successful, and if you don’t realize it, that’s even better. Buyer Beware.
I agree with JT, I used a scented laundry detergent, but adding in a scent booster seems excessive. Also VERY glad I changed to membership club brand paper towels from Brawny about a year ago. Membership club stores have become my go to place to not get robbed.
*edited to remove names as I didn’t want this to seem like an advertisement.*
I would like to say on the flip side of things I have seen Fancy Feast Cat food go up 10 cents a can.
Nice to see the same size with a higher price.
Well Wayne…. I want to agree with you. How small is too small for something like a roll of paper towels??
Gain laundry detergent plus lavender fabric sheets and outdoor fresh boosters…. What is the final scent of your clothes….
Think we are overdue for another shrinkage on orange juice, ice cream and toilet paper.
To answer Richard Ginn and Wayne about the size of paper towels
How about individually wrapped paper towels. The ultimate in convenience. Buy only what you need. They can price them accordingly as to absorbancy and size. You can buy little ones for small spills and for the larger ‘oops’ messes, use the handy-dandy mega-size 36 inch square version. The manufacturer could set up an auto-refill option so that toy always have stock on hand. Ooh, ooh, another source of revenue to keep the investors happy.
You could do the same with toilet paper but that just doesn’t seem very practical.
Edgar replies: I believe I saw a new shape from Brawny yesterday. I think it was full size sheets that were perforated so you could divide each sheet either in half (like select-a-size rolls) or in quarters. I tend to rip select-a-size sheets in half now, so this is a welcome new variety. Of course, I don’t want to pay extra for the extra perforations.
Re: Orange juice size…Most of the national brand OJ cartons that look like a half-gallon are now 52 oz. However, the store brand of OJ at the store I usually do business at remains a full 64 oz. For the record, I find national brand fruit juice cartons are still a true half-gallon.
Welll Joel O’Brien I have even seen store branded OJ go down to 52oz bottles which is not fun at all..
How about the 2019 re-introduction this year of Wavy Pringles. The can is the same height as standard pringles, BUTT the weight of the can is .7 oz smaller for all the flavors.
Well Edgar looking at the official Brawny website the sheets that are now into quarters are called TEAR-A-SQUARE
Actually, Edgar, the half-sheet paper towels have been around for quite awhile. Now, the quarter size you mentioned is even better! But the half-sheet brands aren’t always easy to find. And if you’re concerned about paying more for a perforated roll, do as I do: just keep a 79¢ pair of Harbor Freight scissors nearby your paper towel roll, and just cut off what you need. Yeah, a little extra work but worth it.
What no one talks about is how all this downsizing actually increases packaging, which negatively impacts the environment. We have to buy more packages that continually contain more air space than product in the same size bottle or box. Why isn’t this an environmental issue? Instead they just focus on supermarket plastic bags. So ridiculous.