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Here We Shrink Again – Early Fall 2022

As inflation continues to take its toll on our pocketbooks, some product manufacturers pass on price increases the sneaky way by downsizing or shrinking their products (“shrinkflation”), tinkering with the ingredients (“skimpflation”), or playing packaging tricks. Here are some of the latest examples. Incidentally, just recently Merriam Webster added the word shrinkflation to its dictionary.

Charmin Ultra Strong Mega Rolls

Charmin finishes this round of downsizing by finally reducing the number of sheets on its red packages – the ultra strong variety. Mega rolls were reduced from 264 sheets to 242 sheets, and Super Mega went from 396 to 363 sheets. The packages below were $14.29 each, purchased in the same store, at the same time, and at the same price. Thanks to our ace shrinkflation sleuth, Richard G., for this find.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Charmin Mega 264-242


Peet’s Coffee

George C. discovered that bags of Peet’s coffee went from 12 ounces down to 10.5 ounces and the price went up. We contacted the company, and it said they made the change a couple of months ago, but kept the price the same. No matter, you are still paying more per ounce with the smaller bag.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Peet's Coffee


Natural Balance Adult Dog Food

Fido may be getting two pounds less in the big bags of Natural Balance adult dry dog food than previously. As often happens, the size reduction occurred at the time the company introduced a new package design. On the company’s website and at Chewy.com attention is called to the design change, but it is up to the shopper to notice the difference in net weight since it is not shown in their illustration [we’ve added it].

*MOUSE PRINT:

Natural Balance dog food

When customer service at Natural Balance was asked why they downsized, the company responded saying, “To offer more consistency in sizing across our portfolio, we are reducing our bag sizes slightly on this formula from 26lbs. to 24lbs.”


Seventh Generation Detergent

As with many laundry detergents, the size of the bottle changes occasionally. This time, the 100-ounce bottles of Seventh Generation downsized to 90 ounces. The bottles below were found in August at a leading supermarket, both scanned $15.99, but the old larger one was offered with an extra dollar off. Thanks to Mim E. for the tip.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Seventh Generation detergent 110-90


Cap’n Crunch

In another cereal downsizing, Grant O. reported to us in July that Cap’n Crunch peanut butter cereal was shrinking from 12.5 ounces to 11.4. So you lost about a bowl of cereal in every box, but the price stayed the same. Both boxes were priced identically in the store where found.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Cap'n Crunch


Huggies Diapers

For several months, consumers have been reporting that there are fewer diapers in some Huggies packages. We recently found these Huggies Snugglers that went from 96 in a box down to only 84. And both boxes scanned at the same $29.99 price.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Huggies


Suave Shampoo

The 30-ounce bottles of Suave Shampoo and their conditioner have been reduced by 25%, but the price has stayed the same. Recently they both were $2.49 at Stop & Shop supermarket in the Boston area. Interestingly, the product is still called “family size.” Perhaps the new product is meant for families where dad is bald.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Suave shampoo


Quaker Instant Oatmeal

Last year, Quaker reduced some flavors of their instant oatmeal packages. This year, some more flavors got the downsizing axe including 10 packet boxes of raisin, date and walnut oatmeal going to eight.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Quaker Raisin Oatmeal packets

To see them side-by-side, they look identical. Only if your turn them sideways can you see that the new boxes are narrower.

Quaker sideways


Next week, we’ll expose some packaging tricks used by other cereal makers, and the week after that we’ll spotlight some products that were recently subject to “skimpflation.”

If you find an item that has been downsized, please take a sharp before and after picture showing the net weight or net contents, and email it to edgar (at symbol) ConsumerWorld.org . Thanks.

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Here We Downsize Again – Spring 2022, Part 2

We continue our series of products that have been downsized or as people say today, they have been subject to shrinkflation.

Note: Packages are displayed only to show numerical changes in net contents. Physical package dimensions may or may not be to scale depending on the graphic used.

Sparkle Paper Towels

Paper towels and toilet paper are two common culprits when it comes to downsizing. This time, Sparkle paper towels lopped off six sheets from every roll, going from 116 “pick-a-size” sheets to just 110. Georgia-Pacific customer service confirms that the towels are still two-ply despite the fact that that designation is missing from the front of the package. The company’s PR folks say they lowered the suggested retail price of the new packages, but we bought both packages below at the same time, at the same store, and got no extra discount on the smaller one.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Sparkle paper towels


Cocoa Pebbles

After General Mills downsized their family size boxes of cereal last year, Post was not too far behind. We found these boxes side-by-side in a local supermarket in February. About a bowl of cereal was taken out of the new packages.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Cocoa Pebbles


Quaker Life Cereal

Pete B. noticed that Quaker Life cereal not only downsized their big boxes of cereal from 24.8 ounces to 22.3, but they also changed the size name from “Giant” to “Family.” In fact, the new box is almost three-quarters of an inch taller, but half an inch less deep. Thanks to Pete for finding this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Quaker Life measured


Charmin Super Mega Toilet Paper

Even Charmin’s Ultra Soft “super mega” rolls are getting smaller. In February, Richard G. tipped us off that P&G reduced the size of these rolls from 396 sheets to 366. Charmin Ultra Strong in the red package is still 396 sheets, but eventually it will shrink too. Keep in mind the original single-ply Charmin of the 1960s had 650 sheets on a roll.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Charmin Super Mega blue


Pedigree Dog Food

Pedigree resized some of their dry dog food products including this one. While both old and new packages claim you are getting a bonus in every bag, the net change is that you are getting six pounds less. And our tipster, Brendan B. says the price stayed the same.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Pedigree 50-44

At least Chewy.com alerted readers to the change.


Utz Pretzels

Snack foods like potato chips are constantly being downsized, so as not to feel left out, Utz is now taking two ounces of pretzels out of it big jars. They are now 26 ounces instead of 28. Thanks to Tim B. for this submission.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Utz pretzels


Dawn Dishwashing Liquid

P&G periodically downsizes Dawn. This time the bottle lost half an ounce. It is down to just 6.5 ounces for the smallest size. Both bottles scanned at $1.79 at CVS in May.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Dawn 7 - 6.5 oz


Aveeno Lotion

New bottles of Aveeno won’t soothe your wallet. There’s 10% less moisturizing lotion in every one.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Aveeno


If you find an item that has downsized, please try to take a picture of the old and new one side-by-side with the net weight clearly shown. Just email submissions to edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks!

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Here We Downsize Again – Winter ’22 (Part 2)

We continue this week to spotlight big brands that are shrinking their products but charging the same or more for them. Shrinkflation continues unabated.

Cottonelle

Just like Charmin, Cottonelle has reduced the number of sheets it provides on each roll of toilet paper depending on the variety (soft or strong). Here, the strong version of Cottonelle mega rolls has gone from 340 1-ply sheets to just 312. And the soft version went from 284 2-ply sheets to just 268. See past examples of how Cottonelle has shrunk over the years. Thanks to Richard G. for this submission.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Cottonelle
Cottonelle


Sun-Maid Raisins

Those canisters of Sun-Maid Raisins are getting smaller too. They just lost over two-and-a-half ounces each.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Sunmaid raisins


Chobani Yogurt

Remember when yogurt used to come in eight-ounce cups? Those days are long gone. Some of them aren’t even six ounces anymore. And the specialty versions with mix-ins, just got even smaller. Thanks to Richard G. who spotted this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Chobani-mix


Dove Body Wash

Like so many shampoos, body wash bottles are getting smaller too. Here, Dove Body Wash went from 24 oz. to 22.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Dove Body Wash


Safeguard Soap

Remember when “bath size” soap was five ounces? Those days are long gone because soap has been shrinking for years. Most recently, Safeguard has gone from four ounces down to only 3.2 — just about the size of what was once considered a regular bar.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Safeguard bar soap


If you find an example of a product that has recently been downsized, please take a clear before and after picture, including the net weight or net count statement and send it to: Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks.