Do my eyes deceive me? YES! Nasty marketing strategies that work!
By mentalward
@mentalward (14690)
United States
March 2, 2009 11:00am CST
I just opened an email a few minutes ago. There was a link to an article about the foods we buy from grocery stores. Man, oh man! Are we ever getting cheated!!!
Here's the link before I forget it: http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourmoney/personalfinance/articles/less_food_for_your_money_.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-22709-F5t
In this article, it explains how we're being cheated: packaging and weight. Some products, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise, now have jars with indentations at the bottom. We don't usually notice things like that, but what it does is reduce the amount of the contents by a few ounces (or more) while the package LOOKS the same and the price remains the same!
We buy things like this out of habit. Okay, we love So-and-So's peanut butter. We've ALWAYS bought that peanut butter. The jar LOOKS the same so, what do we do? We pick it up and pay for it, never realizing that there's actually LESS of it that we're paying the same price for! Who looks at labels for the weight when we've bought this same thing for years? Not many! I sure don't... well, I DIDN'T, but I will now!
This article says we should write to the manufacturers who resort to this underhanded tactic. At the very least, we might receive some coupons from them.
It just makes me see RED! 
Have you noticed the weight of products you typically buy going down while the price remains the same, or worse... goes higher? MY eyes are wide open now!
Have you noticed the weight of products you typically buy going down while the price remains the same, or worse... goes higher? MY eyes are wide open now!8 people like this
24 responses
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
2 Mar 09
I noticed this a couple of years ago, when I was keeping a detailed shopping list. I kept it so I could change brands if the one I was buying started to cheat me. Eventually, there was no changing, they all cheated me!
This is the way it is now, they will not change because in a lot of cases their costs keep going up and they know that we don't want the prices to go up. So how do they improve their profit margin without losing customers? Fool them! Yep, cut down on the quantity, keep the price the same, maybe jazz up the package so people will think it's new and improved, but rip 'em off!
All we can do is write--which won't change anything but will make us feel better--and reduce our consumption in direct proportion to the amount we're being cheated of. 
All we can do is write--which won't change anything but will make us feel better--and reduce our consumption in direct proportion to the amount we're being cheated of. 3 people like this
@shadowoftorment (15)
• United States
2 Mar 09
well,yea, there taking advantage of us but, they have to make money as well. the companies are doing this to save money and most people wont ever notice it, so they will continue to do this as long as it works and it always will.
3 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
4 Mar 09
thanks for the truly...great heads up! Consumer fraud is truly on the upswing, and we must arm ourselves with all the knowledge we can...it is truly a dog eat dog world out there! I truly first noticed this way back in 1980-82 when Canada went metric, and here's a for example; Nabob coffee, always packaged & sold in ONE pound packages...ONE POUND is 450 grams (and most buying citizens did not apraise themselves of the conversions) so the first package that came was 437 grams..and it looked the same...you were short only 13 grams, but the price was that of the old pound! That package is now ...387 grams, and 1/2 the buying Public still thinks they are getting a pound..but it is short 63 grams now...!!! Buy ten packages in a year...you've been robbed of 630 grams...more than a pound and a 1/3, or close to $10.00! And that's only ONE product you buy commonly!
Just last week, on "Olsen on your side"...one of our TV Consumer investigators here, tested scales at a ton of grocery stores! 83% were out...and all in the favour of the Store! These scales are inspected by a Federal program, called "weights & measures"...and when they test them, they put a seal on them! Stores were breaking the seals (big box stores, Safeway,etc.,) and re-adjusting the scales in their favour! The collective netting was in the millions! Go figure!
Cheers my dear, and Thanks for the heads up!
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
3 Mar 09
What really pisses me off, is the plastic mayonnaise jars now. They have ripples all along the sides. It is impossible to clean the bloody jar out. So, 1 - you are wasting alot, 2- I paid for that waste, grrrrr, 3 - do they expect me to wash that shyte down MY drain before recylcing it?
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I hear ya! You know what I do? Of course you don't... that was a stupid question, so I'll tell you what I do. I leave the crap in there and recycle anyway. If the recycling plants don't like it, then I'll protest over the packaging and tell them to take it up with the manufacturers who put those impossible-to-reach ridges, nooks and crannies in those jars.
2 people like this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
2 Mar 09
Yes! Ice cream is one of the things mentioned in that article, particularly Breyer's Ice Cream.
The thing I can't stand is that the prices are still going up! I understand that everyone needs to make money, but, in light of this horrible recession, you'd think that the larger companies could show a little compassion, wouldn't you? I mean, at the height of the gas price hike last year, oil companies were patting themselves on the back over their record-breaking profits instead of realizing that they were causing more and more people to buy less and less gas products.
After all, our PAYCHECKS aren't going up, and I'd put money on the fact that the lower-end employees of these companies who are giving us less and charging us more aren't seeing raises in their paychecks!
Grin and bear it? Not me! I'm a letter-writer, what I like to call a "passive-activist". LOL I'm writing letters! Hey, I might get some great money-saving coupons out of them!
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
3 Mar 09
I guess I am one of those few who always check the price and the weight (the nett weight) of the product I'm buying. Sometimes, the weight can be very misleading, especially for canned fruit. So I always based on nett weight. For products like biscuits, even within the same brand, the price differs due to the packaging. Those in the tins are more worthwhile. Unless going for a picnic where individual packed biscuits are preferred, else I will stick to the largest tin available.
In fact the same logic applies to shampoo, bathing cream etc. The taller bottle may look more than those shorter bottle, but both contain the same volume. Guess brand marketing doesn't work for me, colour doesn't attract too, only value for money applies.
2 people like this
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
3 Mar 09
I have noticed many times that as soon as the product becomes popular the manufacturer cuts the size by in some cases a noticable fraction and some not so noticable unless you are observant.
The dent in the bottom of the container... Now that I never thought of even though I have noticed the dents. Thought they were just for bottle/container model purposes. That is a witty way of cheating customers.
Sometimes the package/container may be the same but the content is less, replaceed by a lot of air.
Good topic by the way. Thanks for the info.
1 person likes this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
3 Mar 09
Well this has to be expected because Manufacturers are getting a raw deal with what is happening Globally. What we need to do is either boycott these products or just try to understand because worrying over it will only lead to unwarranted sickness.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
4 Mar 09
ive noticed it too.. its driving me nuts because food was expensive BEFORE all this bs they are pulling!
1 person likes this
@KatieDidit (989)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I noticed, but then I've never been faithful to any brand and I always comparison shop. There are exceptions to the rule of course. If I'm craving a Dove bar, a Hershey bar won't do even though it costs less.
1 person likes this
@Mystic_Dragon (89)
• United States
3 Mar 09
Oh my gosh, what a hot topic! Hot as in pissed off! I remember when a 13 ounce can of coffee used to weigh a pound. They tell me it is the new processing which makes more coffee come from less scoops. Yeah, right! Pisses me off that the manafactures think I am stupid enough to buy a mayonnaise or catsup bottle that has been flipped over (opening at bottom), with less product inside and cost more. Have you ever tried to get the last mayonnaise out of one of these new fangled bottles? Impossible! Then, of course, you have the yogurt companys, whipping their product, adding air, so they can sell us less product for more money. My toothpaste got raised by $.22 when they improved the tip and made it "ooze controled"! Hell, let me control my own "ooze" and give me my 22 cents back!
I think to write the manufactures about this would be a waste of time unless you just wanted some coupons. But heck, at the price of a stamp, the coupon would be that much less as well. Even if all of MyLotter's wrote, I think it would not help the cause. Unless we are willing to go without, boycott, and stand up for what we think is a wrong, they won't change. It is afterall, America, where supply and demand rule. Where have less means more. Go figure.
@fino1982 (55)
• China
3 Mar 09
It is natural for producer to reduce the amounts as it printed. You know the competition is very fierce, so the maufacturers try to bring down the price to obtain bigger market share. Because the cost, they have reduce the amount. But I think the maufacturers should be honest to make money and provide goods of high quality, then customers will be in support of you.
• China
3 Mar 09
wow..what a discovery.some insane codes of conduct.
@multimastery (1195)
• United States
2 Mar 09
Yes this kinda thing is going on all around us... It's Everywhere!!!
The Almighty Dollar is losing it's value at a rapid pace. Food and product manufacturers are looking out for themselves and passing the costs along to us. This has been going on for ages no doubt - but it has become more prevalent in a tough economic times today. I understand that their cost is rising and they need to figure ways to still make a profit, however, I also think that they should be honest with the public and disclose that the package and content is such & such % less. Why not? They do this when a package has increased in content (which is rare these days) by saying something like You Get 25% More! So why not tell us when we're getting 25% less as well. I usually just buy off brand stuff now to save money. Most of it taste just as good as name brand anyway.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
2 Mar 09
yes that is old news, the worst is potato chips, yes they are weighed already with the half a bag of air making the package look bigger than it actually is.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
13 Mar 09
I read about these dirty tatics in the local papers recently.
And it seems there is nothing we can do about it.
And the weight difference per bottle is small, so it is usually not noticeable until you compare the old packaging and the new ones.
And honestly, we only go to the store to get stuff when we run out of it.
What are the chances that you be looking at the bottle you bought before and the one you just bought side by side on the table?
With the need to cut cost and boost sales revenue, some firms are resorting to such dirty tatics. Some even go a step further, they claim new formular or improvements to the product. When in actual fact, it is the same content, with smaller packaging and a new label!
It is disgusting, I know. But what can we do about it?
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
Products for the people are no longer the business model of today.
Gone are the days of Ford (where he pays his employees enough so that they can afford to buy a car, cos if no one can afford cars, he'd be out of business!) where the business model are people centric.
Now a days, it is all about profits cos every company is answerable to their shareholders and stock holders!
Sad... but we cannot do anything about it except to grit our teeth and live with it!
@dvschic (1795)
• United States
2 Mar 09
have you noticed that most stores are required to put the price per oz on the price labels they have? most people can't understand why two for $5.00 is better than one for $3.00. i pay more attention to the price per oz, especially since i'm only buying for 2. i will reach to grab something then notice that its actually MORE than the one next to it, once you compare the price per oz (oz is just an example, they have to break it down for you)
1 person likes this
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
2 Mar 09
i am not surprised with this kind of strategy of manufacturers. we are all aware of this one in my country. cause our prices really are getting higher for many years now and we all know that it is their tactics that they do employ if in case they don't raise the price. they will just lessen the content so that they can earn more while the jar may seem at first of the same size.
i just accept the fact that they do that cause i think that they need to earn and survive the financial crisis and so i don't mind it that much. but though i will say it feels sad to see that we are getting less for the same prize.
1 person likes this
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
3 Mar 09
It is nothing personal on the behalf of the manufacturers. They have found out that due to inflation then they have to raise prices to keep things profitable or go out of business. Then the problem is do they raid the price or reduce the packaging. Apparently we are so used to paying say 1.99 for a product they will reduce the package size because we will not notice instead of raising the price to 2.39
Almost every product seems to go through this. That old guy on 60 minutes was complaining that his 1 pound can of coffee was now down to 11 ounces!
1 person likes this
