Charmin

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Here We Downsize Again – Winter ’22 (Part 1)

March 28, 2022March 7, 2022 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

With inflation rearing its ugly head, we are seeing not only a wave of direct price increases on groceries, but also sneaky ones when manufacturers inconspicuously reduce the size of their products. This downsizing or shrinkflation as it currently is called is so prevalent at the moment, we have to spend this week and next showing you the dozen examples we’ve collected.

Charmin

Over the past 60 years we’ve seen Charmin toilet paper go from 650 single-ply sheets on a roll to the equivalent of 90% less assuming you could even find single rolls any longer. The latest change shows ultra soft “Mega” rolls going from 264 double-ply sheets per roll to 244. And “Super Mega” rolls went from 396 sheets to 366.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Older, larger sizes of Charmin that we have tracked can be seen here. Thanks to our ace downsizing detector, Richard G., for this submission.

Snyder’s Pretzels

Snyder’s Honey Mustard & Onion pretzels now have a “new look” and “big flavor” but come in a new smaller size. Thanks to Richard G. for spotting this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Keebler Cookies

Coming to supermarket shelves soon are new smaller packages of Keebler cookies. Chips Deluxe with M&Ms are going from 11.3 oz. to 9.75 and even more dramatic changes are occurring in their “family size” package. And Keebler E.L. Fudge packages lost 1.3 ounces and 20 calories per cookie. Note: In some stores, the new, smaller family size Chips Deluxe with M&Ms is one dollar less.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Gatorade

Gatorade has come in 32 ounces bottles forever, it seems. Now the product has gone on a diet and their new bottles have developed a waistline. That indent around the middle of the bottle is a telltale sign that the new bottles hold less — four ounces less, in fact. But, they are the exact same height.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Pantene Conditioner

Pantene conditioner recently changed its packaging going from a bottle to a tube. And somehow two full ounces of the product disappeared in the process. Thanks to Richard G. for spotting this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Pantene conditioner

Earth’s Best Snack Bars

It looks like a good math lesson comes courtesy of this Sesame Street snack bar. Kids, can you say “seven” instead of “eight” bars are now in every box? Thanks to Richard G. again.

*MOUSE PRINT:

If you find a product that has been downsized recently, please send a before and after picture with the net weight or net count showing to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks!

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Here We Downsize Again – Year-End 2020

January 10, 2021December 21, 2020 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

Final Week
Please Help Support Mouse Print*

Edgar Dworsky

For 25 years, Consumer World, the creator of Mouse Print*, has served readers with the latest consumer news, money-saving tips, and independent investigations. It is your generosity (and not advertising nor corporate contributions) that keeps Mouse Print* and Consumer World available as free consumer resources. So MrConsumer turns to you and humbly asks for your support again this year. Your gift will be most appreciated.

NOTE: The next new Mouse Print* story will appear on January 4.

Once again, it is time to spotlight another crop of products that are shrinking inconspicuously right in front of your eyes (and thus sneakily raising the price).

Downy Unstoppables

The bottles look the same size, but Downy Unstoppables went from 10 ounces down to 8.6. This is the second time the product has been made to weigh less. The first time in May 2019 the bottle went from 13.2 ounces to 10. That was a reformulation of the product to remove weight from each pellet. We are guessing the same thing was just done a second time.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Nathan’s Pretzel Dogs

Nathan’s made a dramatic change to their pretzel dogs. Instead of five in a package, they reduced the number to just four. Thanks to Dan K. for spotting the switch.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Charmin Ultra Strong

It took a while for P&G to get around to reducing the size of their “ultra strong” Charmin from 286 sheets to 264. Back in March, we reported that the “soft” version had already made the change. Thanks to eagle-eyed Richard G. for spotting this.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Publix Baby Shampoo

It is not just big brand names that downsize. Usually store brands will will shrink after their brand name counterparts have done so too. Two years ago, Tom G. reported that Johnson’s Baby Shampoo went from 15 ounces to 13.6. Now he discovered that his supermarket has done the same thing with their store brand.

*MOUSE PRINT:

If you spot a product that has been downsized, please take a sharp picture of the old and new one, including the net weight, and submit it to edgar (at) mouseprint.org . Thanks.

Updated every Monday! Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Here We Downsize Again – Winter 2020

March 14, 2022March 9, 2020 by Edgar (aka MrConsumer)

We start the new decade with an old trick — inconspicuously reducing the package size of products as a sneaky way to raise prices. You pay the same price but get less for your money. Here are our latest discoveries. (If you find a product that has been downsized, please take a clear picture of both the old and new size packages and submit it here. )

The folks at P&G are doing it again on supermarket shelves right now. Newly designed packages of Charmin toilet tissue are sitting next to the current version.

*MOUSE PRINT:

The difference is that each “mega” roll now has 20 fewer sheets. And just a reminder… the Charmin of 50 years ago in the Mr. Whipple days had 600-650 single-ply sheets per roll. Thanks to our ace downsizing detective Richard Ginn for spotting this change.

Powerade

Another item right in the midst of being downsized now is Powerade. The Coca-Cola Company is reducing the size of its 32-ounce bottles of this sports drink to just 28 ounces. Thanks to consumer reporter John Matarese of WCPO-TV for this tip.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Puffs

Paper products continue to be downsized regularly. The makers of Puffs tissues reduced the size of its cube-shaped boxes from 56 tissues to 48.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Thanks to Liz B. for pointing out how this product changed.

Hershey’s Kisses

One of the nasty tricks that some product makers do sometimes when downsizing an item is to make the package size bigger than the old one, but now contain less. In this case, a number of Hershey’s chocolate products sold in large bags lost two ounces last fall. Here, even though it is still called “family size,” these bags of Hershey’s kisses went down from 18 ounces to 16. 1. And their 12-ounce “classic size” bags went from 12 ounces to just 10. But that size got renamed “share size.”

*MOUSE PRINT:

Angel Soft Toilet Tissue

Finally, the downsizing angels pulled a double-whammy on your fanny.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Not only did they trim 30 sheets off of each roll of their toilet paper, Angel Soft made each sheet more narrow. The four-inch square tissues are now only 3.8-inches wide. Thanks to Richard Ginn for finding this change last fall.