Steady reduction in food product sizes.
This post is about the steadily insidious reduction in food packaging sizes. In a separate post about Presidents Choice Senior Dog Food, https://forum.smartcanucks.ca/439037...g-food-canada/, I complained about a sudden 70% increase in the price for the product disguised within a 33% reduction in the package size. The company failed to explain the reason for this gouging increase.
Lately I find that the size of bagels sold by Atlantic Superstore (Loblaws) in packages of 6 has suddenly reduced. I used to eat a bagel for my breakfast but now need two, yet no reduction in price. The bagels are much smaller. Today I read that, in spite of the ravaging effect of Covid on business, Loblaws just posted record high profits and dividends for investors yet refuse to reinstate a danger bonus for their increasingly infected and vulnerable staff across Canada. Speaking for myself, while I still shop at Atlantic Superstore out of necessity, I increasingly look for a more ethical alternative whenever possible.
Does anyone know of a registry of product sizing over time, somewhere a person can go to see what size a product was sold in in the past? Right now I find I buy a product sometimes saying to myself 'I am sure this is smaller that it used to be' but am unaware where to go to check if that is the case. The retailers take advantage of this fact by how they introduce a price increase via size reduction in some instances. For example, in the case of the above described increase in dog food, the product completely disappeared off the shelves for about a month, only to reappear in a smaller size at a greater price. With no larger package around from earlier stock, I am sure they hope we gullible (their obvious view of us) consumers will not realize the size of the increase. My wife often comments that she cannot find a particular product anywhere, saying she expects it will reappear at a greater price or reduced size. As often as not she is correct.
In my view this type of practise needs to be seen for what it is, large companies treating customers as vulnerable saps, milking us for what they can if they think they can get away with it. Thank heavens for web sites such as this for affording us the opportunity to shine a light on this shoddy practise.