Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Incredible Shrinking Products

Newspapers and ice cream container sizes are shrinking.

Our newspaper had shrunk in width size. Apparently Hubby had noticed, but not me until this weekend, while visiting my folks, Hubby commented on their newspaper also looking smaller. Now that I know the newspaper shrank every day it looks smaller, and it is bugging me.

The newspaper shrinking, I don't mind so much. Actually, reducing the width of the paper means fewer elbow wars around our table. However, ice cream. Don't short me on my ice cream.

When my Mom returned from the grocery store on Saturday she announced that the ice cream 1/2 gallon containers are also shrinking, and not close to a 1/2 gallon anymore.

Then this morning NPR ran a story about Ben & Jerry's mocking Haagen Daaz for shrinking their ice cream pint. (Can you call it a pint if it is not a real pint.) I don't eat Haagen Daaz, so don't really care what they do with their sizes and now even less inclined to give them my money. But I do eat Ben & Jerry's, and I now love their mocking abilities. Here is what they wrote about the competitor's little change in sizes.

"One of our competitors (think funny sounding European name) recently announced they will be downsizing their pints from 16 to 14 ounces to cover increasing ingredient and manufacturing costs and help improve their bottom line. 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, and think now more than ever you deserve your full pint of ice cream [emphasis mine]..."


Here, Here. Let us all say a thank you to Ben & Jerry's buy purchasing their ice cream. And then we can help boast the economy some more by joining the gym.

Hmm, this is making me crave some ice cream. And after staring at the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough container on their website that is the flavor I want. What is you favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor?

What have you noticed shrinking lately in the grocery aisles? Leave a comment and let us know.

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