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The size of many grocery items have been shrinking at a steady pace. While the ounces go down, the price stays the same. I began to wonder how much smaller these containers can become before they are considered individual servings. That is when it dawned on me that the coffee industry has already achieved this. K cups provide an individual with a single cup of coffee in a short brewing cycle. People have bought new machines to use these cups, and love the convenience of making a hot serving quickly. The variety of choices has exploded as well as its popularity. What also is happening is that people are paying much more per ounce than coffee in the can. Is this going to happen to other items as well?
Tuna used to be 7 oz. It then went down to 6 oz. My last trip to the store revealed that most brands are now selling at 5 oz. I am lucky to get 2 sandwiches out of the can. I am lucky to get 2 sandwiches out of the can. Orange juice went from 64 oz. to 59. A 10 oz bag of chips used to be considered the small size. Now it is the standard size. 6 inch tortillas average around 4 inches. Let’s get back to coffee. A 16 oz can dropped to 13, then 11, and now hovers around 10 oz. The list goes on and on.
What hasn’t changed is the price. We are now paying more for less. Throw in a bad crop or a storm and the price goes up even more. If the trend towards smaller sizes continues, we will soon be paying astronomical prices for food. People are trying to live within a budget during these hard economic times. These rising costs are going to cause more to struggle to make ends meet.
The worst part is that in most cases the manufacturers are making the packaging the same size. Open the product, a burst of air comes out, and you see what you are left with. It is deceiving and sneaky. If you think your food isn’t lastly as long as usual, you are right. Start reading the labels and you will see why.
Simple Sensibilities 