I think we're all familiar with the manufacturer's trick of reducing the amount of product, leaving it in the same size box, and keeping the same price. That way they make more money and unless we're paying attention, we don't notice. Remember when sugar used to always come in 5 pound bags? My favorite trick is the whole "ultra" fad that is hitting everything from dish soap to laundry soap. They reduce the amount in the bottle, say that it is concentrated and you aren't supposed to use as much. Do you suppose it really works that way? I have my doubts. I bet most people, including me, use the same amounts out of habit. Recently, Tom spotted another manufacturer trick at the pharmacy. It may be new, or maybe we just had not noticed it before. Anyway, he saw a bottle of "Claritin for Hives". Some of you may remember Tom having a severe outbreak of hives a few years ago that lasted for months. So naturally, he was curious and examined the bottle. The "Claritin for Hives" cost more than regular Claritin, yet had the same ingredients, the same dosage, and the same amount in the bottle. Scary, huh? The lesson here is that we must always be diligent and careful. Marketers try every trick in the book to get us to try their products. When those tricks run out, they write a new book.
Does anyone have an manufacturer scams or tricks that they have noticed?
4 comments:
According to Consumer Reports, a box of Puffs is 9 1/2 inches wide and the tissues are about an inch narrower. But the tissues have shrunk from 8.6 to 8.4 inches. Also, if you read the ingredients on a box of Kellogs All Bran strawberry medley, one of them is strawberry flavored apples. Nice.
Oh that is nice. Strawberry flavored apples huh? Wow. I seem to remember an Andy Rooney commentary a few years ago about how much the packages of Charmin had shrunk. I don't even buy Charmin anymore because it just doesn't seem to last.
We do use the smaller bottles of laundry detergent, and the caps are smaller, so I'm definitely using less liquid, but the question persists ... does it save money?
Right now the only thing I can tell you is that it is definitely "saving" my right shoulder, which aches with deep pain every night from arthritis. But other than that, I'm glad you posted this, because it's given me pause over what I'm picking up because I'm under the impression that it's saving me money. Really good food for thought -- thanks.
Oh man, I feel for you, Heidi. I'm sorry you have arthritis in your shoulder.
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