Steady reduction in food product sizes.

[HermanH]

It rose beautifully and was even higher than my other batches. I do not know if it was simply because it had 20% more product in the pan, but it tastes wonderful.

[HermanH]

Opened a box of Ritz crackers BB4 dated 2022. They tasted a bit funny, but I had other boxes around the same period that tasted fine. They weren't dry or bad/rancid. It just tasted a bit different.

I started checking the ingredients to see if something might have changed. I compared the ingredient list with one from 2023 and saw some differences. I have posted an image. The smaller box on the left is 2022 and the larger box on the right is 2023.

2022 had "Malted barley flour" and less sugar than the 2023 box. I wonder if anyone else has notice a change in taste for Ritz? With all the talk about skimpflation, did they change to barley and then change back? Anyone else have an older box for comparison?

[Skippy]

[QUOTE=HermanH;7244606]Opened a box of Ritz crackers BB4 dated 2022. They tasted a bit funny, but I had other boxes around the same period that tasted fine. They weren't dry or bad/rancid. It just tasted a bit different.

I started checking the ingredients to see if something might have changed. I compared the ingredient list with one from 2023 and saw some differences. I have posted an image. The smaller box on the left is 2022 and the larger box on the right is 2023.

2022 had "Malted barley flour" and less sugar than the 2023 box. I wonder if anyone else has notice a change in taste for Ritz? With all the talk about skimpflation, did they change to barley and then change back? Anyone else have an older box for comparison?

@HermanH you're either braver than me or crazier(take your pick!)
Expiry dates are there for a reason including probably to (only)rotate stock.That said I shy away from them.
However,more power to you my friend!
As for the taste of Ritz I haven't noticed any difference but then again I only buy the Ritz Peanut Butter ones so all I taste is the Peanut Butter.
Do come back to this thread again so we all know that your crackers were fine!

[GeorgiaK]

@Skippy , best before dates are not the same as expiry dates. Government regulates expiration dates but does not require best before dates.

[HermanH]

I survived the Ritz!

There are definite Expiration dates on some items, like the CoVid test kits and some medicine. IMO, the best before date is there to encourage waste with short dates. I laugh when I see it on honey, which never goes bad. They just want us to throw away perfectly good food and buy more. Sadly, most of society is persuaded to do just that.

My sister-in-law tells me that food will go bad or degrade over time. I agree, but the minimal degradation in taste is not noticeable by normal human standards.

[HermanH]

I found the NoName 907g cookies, formerly named Chocolate Chip, are now named 'Chocolatey Chip'. I the ingredients label noted palm oil in the chocolatey description.

[Skippy]

@Skippy, best before dates are not the same as expiry dates. Government regulates expiration dates but does not require best before dates.

@GeorgiaK thanks for reiterating my point.Makes a lot of sense to post best before dates rather than Expiration dates but I'm not surprised

[Skippy]

I survived the Ritz!

There are definite Expiration dates on some items, like the CoVid test kits and some medicine. IMO, the best before date is there to encourage waste with short dates. I laugh when I see it on honey, which never goes bad. They just want us to throw away perfectly good food and buy more. Sadly, most of society is persuaded to do just that.

My sister-in-law tells me that food will go bad or degrade over time. I agree, but the minimal degradation in taste is not noticeable by normal human standards.

@HermanH Yay! you survived the Ritz and then enlightened us some more! Indeed there's too much food waste and no doubt it too is factored into pricing!
As for your Chocolatey vs Chocolate semantics discussion you have solved that mystery too as that Palm oil has replaced chocolate.My thought to ponder is how do those who are not as familiar with the English language navigate themselves when wanting chocolate vs chocolatey?

[HermanH]

Opened a box of Ritz crackers BB4 dated 2022. They tasted a bit funny, but I had other boxes around the same period that tasted fine. They weren't dry or bad/rancid. It just tasted a bit different.

Had a second box of 2022 Ritz and ate them. They had the same odd taste. So, I think it is probably the presence of barley, that changed the taste. I'll be certain to avoid future Ritz with that ingredient.

[bhlombardy]

Opened a box of Ritz crackers BB4 dated 2022. They tasted a bit funny, but I had other boxes around the same period that tasted fine. They weren't dry or bad/rancid. It just tasted a bit different.
I started checking the ingredients to see if something might have changed. I compared the ingredient list with one from 2023 and saw some differences. I have posted an image. The smaller box on the left is 2022 and the larger box on the right is 2023.
2022 had "Malted barley flour" and less sugar than the 2023 box. I wonder if anyone else has notice a change in taste for Ritz? With all the talk about skimpflation, did they change to barley and then change back? Anyone else have an older box for comparison?

Don't have an older box, but it wouldn't surprise me... but perhaps not due to intentional skimpflation. Keep in mind that in that 2021/2022 period, there were a fair bit of supply chain issues. Companies were doing things like this to stretch out their ingredients to keep up with demand.

This was probably one of their strategies, but ultimately have returned the the original recipe.

And incidentally, I just bought a 4-pack at Costco. No barley listed, and they taste just fine.

Also, there's an 800 # on there if you have any questions... 😄

[HermanH]

Just learned, today, that Walmart is discontinuing its $1, $2, or $3 clearance bags for fruits and veggies.

I checked back with a location that was still issuing $3 bags and asked the worker if they would continue. He told me that they would be discontinuing the $3 bags on February 15. So, I suspect it will come into effect system-wide on that date.

[Buddyboy546]

Herman H: Keep in mind that Loblaws announced they were discontinuing 50% off products nearing expiry, only henceforth offering 30% off. There was such an outcry that they backed down. If people shout loudly and continuously they can have an effect. This forum is an effective way to do so and I am sure companies monitor it.

[walkonby]

ahem, not to brag ( o.k. I will ) but the WM by me provided me with a very inexpensive top up of my fruits and veg this morning.

This morning I did a 7 a.m. run to get gas and then onto to W-Mart.

A dollar for 10 lbs. of potatoes? woo hoo!!
I nearly loaded a 2 lb. bag of carrots in my cart priced at $1.97 until I found a huge bag of monster large carrots on the reduced cart!
Easily more than 5 lbs. in there for $2.00 and another $1.00 bag with 2 sleeves of green onions, 1 large gala apple, 4 bell peppers and
4 large tomatoes. I love it when they make bags up with a combo of fresh fruits and veg.
They had JUST replenished the reduced cart moments before I pulled up to it.

[HermanH]

Herman H: Keep in mind that Loblaws announced they were discontinuing 50% off products nearing expiry, only henceforth offering 30% off. There was such an outcry that they backed down. If people shout loudly and continuously they can have an effect. This forum is an effective way to do so and I am sure companies monitor it.

I respectfully disagree. Walmart won't give a tinker's darn about public opinion for this issue any more than they cared about public displeasure when they discontinued their price match policy altogether.

[My two Canadian cents]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/shr...nada-1.7114612

Here's a CBC News article and video from a few days ago that mentions some products that have shrunk.