And to think they actually hire people to sit around and come up with these 'clever' little ways to cheat/dupe the public.

Shirley

I just noticed a few weeks ago that they have cut the size of a toilet paper roll.

I've notice that the thickness of notebook paper and other writing paper products has changed. Some of it is practically tissue paper transparent.

Mini legal tablets are often lined on only one side.
Some index cards are only slightly thicker than standard stationary used to be. Hard to believe they can get away with calling them cardstock.

Pocket calendars are more fragile also.

I was looking at a 1/2 gallon (size) carton of tea at the store a week or two ago and noticed the shelf tag said 59 oz. Coffee cans continue to shrink. Haven't bought coffee for a long time but went down that aisle and looked and laughed at the compact sized cans now. Several ounces cut from frozen packages too.

Frankly, though, on legal pads, years ago, well decades ago now when I used to use a lot of legal pads, I had received some that were lined on only one side. I really liked that. Seldom did I use both sides of a sheet and that way I had the option of lined for writing and unlined for drawings, signs and such without having to steal it from the printing press.

Half-gallon cartons of ice cream aren't a half-gallon any more. I'm not sure what size they are, but they're noticeably smaller than a half gallon.

We buy all our (whole bean) coffee from Maui Coffee Roasters, and they sell full-pound bags. Yeah, the price has gone up over the years, but they often offer free shipping if you buy four or more pounds; and every month several coffees are on sale.

I used to love "back to school" shopping. New outfits for the kids, school supplies. But there was always that "one item" on the list I couldn't find anywhere! Pink Pet erasers, an art portfolio, something.

Ya I noticed the shorter rolls of TP. I have a holder that has a short retractable peg on each end and the TP now falls off. I've also noticed bars of Dial soap are now very concave. They're now hollowed out bars rather than solid rectangles.

I guess they got me on that one. (dial soap) I actually did notice the shape was different but it didn't ring a bell that it was a cut back thing. What really makes it bad is there is not a lot we can do but buy it or go without.

.....and Bounty paper towels :^( .........

In fairness on the soap, check the weight. I don't doubt one bit that it'll be smaller but it should be pointed out that the concave design to the bar was initially an intended design. The point of it was to take the sliver that's left of the old one, wet the bar and stick them together so you could use up the old bar.

And I've noticed the 5 quart pails of ice cream are rare now. Many are 4 quart and some are 140 oz or some other odd size.

You know what's ironic? When I first went to Aldi, you had to be very careful of sizing. For instance some things like can goods that are normally 16 oz would be 14 or 14.5 oz, though still a lower price. They'd sell bottled water that was 12 oz bottles instead of 16 oz. Some of the deals weren't as good a deals as it would appear. However, now, their can sizes have increased, bottled water is standard .5 ltr, frozen potatoes are a full 2# and they actually sell 5 quart pails of ice cream!

Sorry Cynic--some months back, when Dial Soap was on sale, I bought two large packages of it. I always unwrap all the bar soap as soon as I get it home, to let it dry for a couple of months before using (lasts MUCH longer that way.) Anyway, I unwrapped the first batch--no probem. Got to the second and thought wow, these are a different shape (the really concave ones) and they feel lighter--sure enough, since I had both packages in front of me, I could check the weights. There was enough difference in the weight, that I figured that the the concave package had only the weight of 7 of the bigger bars--so I paid the same, for both, but got about 87% less soap for my money. On the upside, the concave design is great when you piggy back the last bar onto the new one--it just sort of nests right in the hollow. But I'd still rather just have more soap, in the old standard rectangle format.

Ice cream--just bought a half gallon the other day, and it had a big exclamation going arouned the lid, "New LARGER size!". Bet you've already guessed--it was a half gallon. What a racket--reduce the size for a while, then put out the original size claiming it's 'bigger'--when it's what used to be considered standard for the product--LOL!

Some store brands of ice cream are still 1/2 gallon,and notice i said SOME....

Not to long ago they had bottles of coke and pepsi that were 20 oz,they have now shrunk to 16.9 like the water bottles.I can still find the 20oz in dollar stores,pharmacy at the urgent care place and small independent places.So what's up with that?? I like 20 oz when i'm out and about,buy 2 ltr for the house.
Kathi

Do you think that it's the shrink-wrap that does it??

o j

"Half-gallon cartons of ice cream aren't a half-gallon any more. I'm not sure what size they are, but they're noticeably smaller than a half gallon."

I don't buy Ice cream so I've never looked at the packaging. Are you saying they are using half gallon size containers and not filling them up with a half gallon of product?

Is the weight or ounces of product printed on the package? (Which by law it must be.) Does is say it contains a half gallon of product and does not? (This could be reported to a government agency and the company will be fined heavily.) Or does it say a new measurement of product in the same size package? (Which is a mean trick IMO.)

I am shocked that a company would do something like short fill a container, even though the new weight or ounces is printed on the package correctly. I haven't noticed anything I buy has been short filled, although I buy very few convenience products and things like milk that say "half gallon" are filled to the top.

I always check the size of things and compute price per ounce when I buy things but I know a lot of people who do not, and could be duped buy tricky packaging.

With TP they hit you with a triple whammy. Larger diameter tube,shorter roll and they have changed the texture of most TP to fluff it up. Even Scott has joined in the game.

Bar soap also seems "creamier" and less solid in the package. I know that aging it will harden it and it will last longer but I wonder if the "softer" feel is by design to make it dissolve more quickly.

I read labels and know what I'm buying but it sure makes it hard to follow old recipes that use a convenience product. Marshmallow cream comes in different sizes now too, The 16 oz. can is becoming a thing of the past.

If those bags of chips keep getting smaller and smaller, why does my waistline keep getting bigger and bigger? Just can't figure that one out. :)

I've been keeping my eye on the diet coke 2 liters. With the shape change in the bottles, I just know that soon there won't be 2 liters anymore.

Dilly dally - No, that wasn't want she was saying. Many are just used to using the term "half gallon". And yes, they are considerably smaller!

Grrr... just know they're going to do that to my diet coke :(

"Half gallon" is not a "term". It is a unit of measurement.

Ounces, pounds, gallons, kilos, liters, miles, inches, all of these are very specific units of measurment and are legally defined and those who dispense are monitored and regulated by the government.

*A co-worker was explaining to me how they are now making liters of wine smaller. I tried reasoning with him but had to give up. So I guess now we have those "big liters" and we have the "small liters" too.

And don't get me started on boxes of cereal.....oops! to late I've already started.LOL Any ways, I don't understand how young families can buy it for their kids. I remember how fast my kids would go through a box of cereal, and now there is so much less product in the box and the prices are AWFUL.

The only thing they don't reduce is the amount calories and fat grams in food! That seems to grow at rapid speed and thus my waist line. :-) Oops! I see that MOONIE agrees! Great minds!

Is it my imagination, or is it middle age spread, but are they making the clothes sizes smaller too? I swear, my clothes shrink just being in my closet ... ;-)

I love this time of year, too. 15 sleeps until school starts, and then as soon as she's gone I get to go into her room and fumigate it.

BJ