Why Your Races Maybe Not Extend As Far As They Did – NBC Boston

You might not realize it, but you might get less bang for your buck when you buy certain products.

Meghan Block of Weymouth, Mass., Is a mother of three, CEO of BostonMoms.com and the family grocer.

“Honestly, our grocery budget is through the roof,” Block said. “We couldn’t decide if this was a product of the growing children or the rising prices, but recently we noticed on cereals in particular that the boxes had changed in size.”

The cereal boxes that still fit in her pantry were suddenly too tall.

“I looked at the number of ounces, and it’s actually less cereal in a bigger box,” she said.

She also noticed other product changes.

“A lot of pasta is no longer a pound in a box, and if you’re feeding a family, that little bit of pasta makes a difference,” she said. “Yogurt is now a smaller container… and cans of tuna often you can’t even get out of, say, two tuna sandwiches.”

Edward Dworsky, a longtime consumer advocate and former Massachusetts assistant attorney general for consumer protection, has been tracking declining products for years.

“Downsizing has been around for decades,” Dworsky said. “It’s basically when a manufacturer decides to give you a little less in the product instead of raising the price directly to the consumer. However, it’s a sneaky way of passing on a price increase.”

Dworsky says downsizing is cyclical and he’s seen a wave of it lately, posting photos of the recent product changes he’s noticed on his website, ConsumerWorld.org.

He says General Mills has reduced several varieties of grain.

Apple Cinnamon Cheerios from 20.1 ounces up to 19 ounces. So you’ve lost a bowl of cereal in each box and you’re like, “Well, what’s a bowl of cereal? “Well, if you do the math, that’s about 27 cents you’ve lost,” he said.

Dworsky posted pictures of Quaker Instant Oats dropping 10 to eight packs per box, with Tostitos Hint of Lime crisps dropping 13 oz. at 11 oz, Gold Peak Tea 64-59 oz, Tresemme Shampoo 22 oz. at 20 ounces. one bottle, and Ziploc removing four bags from its boxes of 54.

“Paper products are really important in terms of downsizing,” Dworsky said. “Triple Bounty rolls have gone from 165 sheets per roll to 147. That’s a waste of 18 sheets, and in a six pack, you’re talking about over 100 lost sheets per pack.”

NBC10 Boston has contacted all of the manufacturers of these products about the downsizing and only received a response from three. General Mills, P&G and Unilever have all said they offer great value to consumers.

“There are various reasons why prices may vary,” P&G Global Communications said in a statement. “By providing top quality products with the best performance, we are able to deliver the right value to the consumer. Innovation has an element of cost: adjusting the number per pack or the size of the package is a way to reinvest in that innovation while maintaining a competitive price. . The price on the shelf is set by the retailer. “

“We also offer a range of sizes for our products, and the sizes offered will vary from store to store as retail layouts vary, as do consumer needs,” the company added. “For example, at the same retailer, the assortment you find in a suburban location may differ from what is in a smaller footprint urban retail store – and compared to what is on a sales site. retail .com. Off-the-shelf pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer. “

“To answer your question about the switch from 22 oz to 20 oz bottles that has occurred throughout the TRESemme Pro collection… The TRESemme Pro collection was relaunched in 2021 with improved formulas that offer more quality ingredients parity and parity results in salon. We have also introduced new variations like Keratin Repair Shampoo & Conditioner, which offers new technologies and trends in salon. We are proud to be able to offer products at parity with much more expensive brands and offering great value to consumers, ”Unilever said in a statement.

“General Mills has worked to create consistency and standardization between our grain products, making it easier for shoppers to distinguish shelf sizes. The majority of the portfolio has undergone changes,” said Kelsey Roemhildt, spokesperson for General Mills. “For consumers looking for the best price per ounce, the highest value is normally found in our larger cereal boxes. A typical bowl of cereal costs less than $ 1 and is one of the most affordable breakfasts for many families. “

“Just realize it’s a real cost to you,” Dworsky said. “Instead of increasing the price, they give you less. That means you will have to buy the product more frequently.”

One way to tell if you’re getting a good deal is to pay attention to the unit price, which is the number in orange on store shelves.

“We’ve had unit pricing here for over 40 years, and it’s kind of the forgotten tool,” Dworsky said. “This will give you the price per ounce, the price per pound, the price per 100 sheets, and it’s just a great leveler so you can see what the best value is.”

If you notice that a favorite product has been cut back, check competitor’s products and store brands to see if they offer better value. Dworsky says the store’s brand is often the last to be changed.