Despite the trend, Ben & Jerry's isn't slimming down
Filed under: Food
If you haven't noticed, packages of food are shrinking, along with the content inside them, but the prices are mysteriously remaining the same. But Ben & Jerry's is drawing a line in the proverbial sand and declaring that the buck stops there.
This week, The Consumerist has a letter from Ben & Jerry's to the public on their web site, a letter which in part reads:
"At Ben & Jerry's we think downsizing pints is downright wrong. We understand that in today's hard economic times businesses are feeling the pinch. We also understand that many of you are also feeling the same, & thinking now more than ever you deserve your full pint of ice cream."
That's their comment after pointing out that, "one of our competitors (think funny sounding European name) recently announced that they will be downsizing their pints from 16 to 14 ounces to cover increased ingredient & manufacturing costs and help improvement their bottom line."
As The Consumerist helpfully adds, that competitor would be Haggen-Dazs.
This trend, unfortunately, as noted, isn't new. WalletPop contributor Zac Bissonnette was all over this last summer with a post, for instance, and several week ago, I had a story in the AARP Bulletin about paying the same amount but getting less in your grocery cart. What I found eye-opening in researching that story was how toilet paper manufacturers have been shrinking down the sizes of their products. Apparently nothing is sacred.
Take something like Scott's toilet tissue and its 1,000 sheets. You'd think that they couldn't shrink down their product without it being noticable, like having to put 843 sheets on the packaging. But in 2006, they shrank their product by reducing the length of the sheets from 4 to 3.7 inches, making the roll 300 inches shorter.
But, hey, it's still 1,000 sheets.
So while some critics might rightfully say that our waist lines would be better off if Ben & Jerry's did shrink their product, certainly our wallets wouldn't.
This week, The Consumerist has a letter from Ben & Jerry's to the public on their web site, a letter which in part reads:
"At Ben & Jerry's we think downsizing pints is downright wrong. We understand that in today's hard economic times businesses are feeling the pinch. We also understand that many of you are also feeling the same, & thinking now more than ever you deserve your full pint of ice cream."
As The Consumerist helpfully adds, that competitor would be Haggen-Dazs.
This trend, unfortunately, as noted, isn't new. WalletPop contributor Zac Bissonnette was all over this last summer with a post, for instance, and several week ago, I had a story in the AARP Bulletin about paying the same amount but getting less in your grocery cart. What I found eye-opening in researching that story was how toilet paper manufacturers have been shrinking down the sizes of their products. Apparently nothing is sacred.
Take something like Scott's toilet tissue and its 1,000 sheets. You'd think that they couldn't shrink down their product without it being noticable, like having to put 843 sheets on the packaging. But in 2006, they shrank their product by reducing the length of the sheets from 4 to 3.7 inches, making the roll 300 inches shorter.
But, hey, it's still 1,000 sheets.
So while some critics might rightfully say that our waist lines would be better off if Ben & Jerry's did shrink their product, certainly our wallets wouldn't.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-05-2009 @ 12:12PM
Rob N. Hood said...
If our congressmen were not so busy courting lobbists for full-size contributions, perhaps they could look into this devious way of ripping off consumers.
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 12:04AM
jesse said...
Sounds like someone was asleep during class when "Free Market Principles" was covered. I'll bring you up to speed Mr. Hood. In a free market society, a company is free to charge whatever they please for any size product they choose to sell. We as consumers are free to buy or not to buy.
3-05-2009 @ 7:03PM
michele said...
hey, do any of you (over 40) remember when they shrunk coffee to 13 oz instead of a pound (16 oz) saying it made just as much as a pound because of the way it was ground. That was nonsense then, and Haagen Daas and Scotties are doing it again. JUST RAISE YOUR PRICES to reflect what's going on, and stop trying to fool the consumer. If someone didn't look at the ounces, they'd probably assume it was still 16 oz, then compare prices and think they were getting a bargain. Sure, make my grocery shopping even harder!
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3-07-2009 @ 8:34PM
Katchen said...
Have you also noticed the poor quality of "solid white albacore" these days? I buy several cans at a time. It is my main source of protien as beef, and fresh seafood have not been in my budget for along while. Each and every can was a darkish mush. I could not even feed it to my cats as it had fish bones in it. Initially, I just thought it was a bad batch, but no. I have written to Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and Starkist. No reply. So for about $2 a can I get a revolting mess, for $4 plus a can I get the product stated on label. Also a 6 ounce can is now only 5 ounces. I now shop at Trader Joe's specifically for the Tongol Tuna. Their prices are still very reasonable for the quality of products offered.
3-08-2009 @ 12:49AM
michelle said...
I totally agree - these companies think we "consumers" don't notice their little tricks, but we do...
The big problem is is that we can't do anything about it but complain. That stinks. We still pay for the products because we need them.
This country has definitely seen its better days - how sad.
3-07-2009 @ 8:06PM
Melinda said...
Hey!! How can you SHRINK a pint of anything??!! A PINT is a certain size, i.e. 16 oz!!! If it ain't 16 oz, then it can not be called a "pint" of ice cream...it has to be called something else, what it would be I don't know, but 14 oz is NOT a pint!!! We shouldn't accept this...or are we getting dumber, so as not to know what a PINT actually is???? Come on folks, complain...and tell the companies to get a grip!!!
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3-07-2009 @ 8:09PM
Lillie said...
I remember when you had an ice cream flavor out called makin whoopie it was the best you need to bring it back
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 8:35PM
JEFF said...
What's next 10 ounce beer's ????
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 4:31AM
K-k-k-kira said...
hahahahahaha that cracked me up
3-07-2009 @ 9:01PM
Judy Tarr said...
Ben & Jerry's continues to impress me ,,,, great flavors of quality ice cream and policies that put customers first. I wouldn't let any other 2 man team near my lips!
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 11:58PM
Norb said...
Have you noticed the new cases of 12 oz cans of Coke, only 18 cans, price the same as the 24 can case.
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3-07-2009 @ 9:36PM
Miz said...
I've been buying French Market Coffe for quite a while now. The 1 lb. can is still 16 ounces.
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3-07-2009 @ 9:40PM
michael said...
this has been going on a long time...i'm a nutritionist, and when i analyse clients diets i weigh everthing...for the canned goods, it's always less than what they claim on the package, and sometimes as much as 50%... i can remember this practice for as long as i can remember...finally somebody is addressing this, but what can be done about it, i'm not sure...even meat and produce...alot of stores play with the scales...i know, because when i get home i compare what's in the package, with what's on the scale...it's simply wrong and misleading
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3-08-2009 @ 4:33AM
K-k-k-kira said...
wow really??? thats insane.
3-07-2009 @ 10:54PM
shane said...
Pay attention to bacon, people. A lot of pkgs are 14 oz and not 16 oz. Then there are the buy one get one free at Safeway...I'm completely ticked about this but nobody does the math! They have a package of 18 eggs...buy one get one free. Save 4.50 on the sign. Right there...is a single dozen eggs for 1.50. This means that 3 dozen eggs...regular price...is 4.50. 2 pkgs of 1 1/2 dozen eggs equals 3 dozen eggs is 4.50...you save nothing..you pay regular price. Do the math and call them on it! It isn't buy one get one! It's regular price!
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3-07-2009 @ 10:14PM
Lillie said...
Thank you Judy Tarr for the support. At Unilever, it's our business to feed the world, whether it be margarine or ice cream. I have worked in their ice cream subsidiary for over 20 years now and taking "short cuts" is not in our vocabulary nor in our operating procedures. Thanks to all who have enjoyed the ice cream and thanks for keeping us working- after all ,the customer is first right after quality.
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3-07-2009 @ 10:34PM
Lorraine said...
I also have found bones in my tuna just the other day. I always purchased bumble Bee (Solid White Albacore) Tuna. This is the first time I found a bone. I was going to write to the company about this. The only way to get your monies worth is to purchase only when products go on sale. Purchase enough to last until the next sale. I refuse to pay full price for any food product anymore. The prices have gone up and the quality has certainly gone way down.
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3-07-2009 @ 10:46PM
donn said...
EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST
HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR
CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.
Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.
545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and
then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are
against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation
and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on
appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine
Supreme Court justices..545 human beings out of the 300 million are
directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the
domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that
problem was created by the Congress.. In 1913, Congress delegated its
Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally
chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason.
They have no legal authority.. They have no ability to coerce a
senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing.
I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.
The politician has the power to accept or reject it.. No matter what
the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to
determine how he votes.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that
what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con
regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive
amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a
Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating
deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole
responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and
approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House?
Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow
House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If
the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not
replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of
incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic
problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you
fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the
federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they
want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red .
If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement
plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they
hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to
regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let
them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical
forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent
them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of theOrlando Sentinel Newspaper.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 11:18PM
Donna said...
Great article! Thank you for sharing it. I posted it to everyone on my email list. It should be required reading.
3-07-2009 @ 11:12PM
Bonnie said...
Blue Bell ice ice cream is still a half-gallon container and some of the best ice cream for the buck. Kudos to Ben and Jerry for not reducing their per container quantities or lightening their flavors.
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