Do we really need this?

[Micca]

42 flavors, but how many are made by the same company?

 

[Kermit]

I find too many choices to be confusing sometimes. When I get home, I find out I have the wrong product because I checked for 3 of the variables when there were 4. That's one of the many reasons I enjoy shopping at the health food store--fewer things to choose from.

 

[minkydog]

I am amazed at the choices we have in OTC medications. The average consumer has no idea what they are taking. I talk to parents all the time who don't know that Motrin and Advil are the same thing, or that "baby aspirin" is not recommended for children. I feel so sorry for these parents. They are trying their best to take care of their children, but there are so many choices they don't know what to do.They see the word "cold" on the label and assume it's safe, but they don't know what the side effects of the ingredients are. My own DH gave my DS a common cold remedy not realizing that the ingredients would interact with his seizure meds--he's not stupid, he just didn't understand the label. Too many choices!

 

[Blondie]

I'm grateful that I live in a time and place that allows us to have so many choices.

 

[bajanswife]

I agree that too much choice ca be overwhelming - there's a happy medium somewhere between too much and too little. It's great to have a high price/high quality choice, and a low price/low quality choice, and something in the middle; a variety of flavours; a few things which have a special ingredient (but not 10 of the identical thing!); "purer" food choices (without the additives) etc. But honestly, as long as there is that variety, we don't need several brands of the identical thing!

The U.S. can be overwhelming to me, living in a small island nation. Here in Barbados we have a saying for when there are too many choices that you just don't know what to pick .... it's called the "tuh much choice dilemma"!

 

[Lanshark]

The companies producing each and every one of those 42 types of gum and all of their employees

 

[disneysteve]

"The Paradox of Choice" is one of the books I was referring to. Many people become so overwhelmed by the options that they just can't make a decision. No choice isn't good, but too much choice is bad too.

Another problem with OTC meds... Years ago, Benadryl or Sudafed used to be the names of particular products. Now, they are the brand names of whole lines of products - Benadryl allergy, Benadryl Cough and Cold, Benadryl Multi-Symptom Cold Relief, etc. I can't just tell a patient to go to the store and buy Benadryl anymore.

Here's my favorite OTC example: Lotrimin is a product to kill fungus, like ringworm or athlete's foot. Lotrimin cream, Lotrimin powder and Lotrimin Ultra are the 3 products they sell. Any intelligent individual would assume the first two are different forms of the same product and the 3rd, perhaps, is the extra-strength version. But no. They are 3 completely different drugs.

I found an interesting statistic a while back. In 1970, the average US supermarket carried 9,000 different products. Today, the average is well over 40,000 different products. I think that stat speaks for itself.

 

[disneysteve]

The companies producing each and every one of those 42 types of gum and all of their employees

That assumes that more choices equals higher sales. I think in many cases it doesn't. It just divides the existing sales into smaller and smaller pieces. For example, it doesn't matter how many varieties of toothpaste there are, I'm still only buying one of them. If I decide to switch to a different brand, I'm still only buying one so sales haven't increased.

 

[wide awake]

I think that the companies giving us all these choices want us to make mistakes so we'll buy double. I do not buy any type of light, low carb, low sugar products, other than diet cola. I cannot tell you how many times I have almost put a "light" item in my cart. Ick !!! The labeling is not obvious, and unless you're careful you'll end up w/ a real food, or a fake food...depending on your buying habits. Something else...why do we need all these different flavors ? And mixed ? Everything doesn't need cheese, or bacon, or ranch flavor !!! Sure, it isn't as profitable to eat real food, w/ real flavors...but it is satisfying, and it isn't nearly as fattening.

 

[CyranoJones]

*shrug* Doesn't bother me a bit. I like having choices. And look at the entertainment value you've gotten from it, Steve.

 

[MinnieM21]

I need them. I'd get bored with one flavor on my 6 1/2 hour flights to Orlando.

 

[Carolinagirl1063]

They say variety is the spice of life, but I don't vary from brands on regular items I shop for usually. I guess manufacturers like people like me who display "brand loyalty".
Sadly, most brands I buy are the same brands that were in my home as a child, and grocery stores in general were just simpler then. I could be happy with less choices. I would even be ok with stores closing at reasonable hours. Remember when the grocery store closed at 6 pm on weeknights except for Wednesday(closed at 12 or 1 pm) and maybe stayed open til 7pm on a Saturday and CLOSED on Sunday? We did not starve to death then either. Sorry about getting OT but this thread hit a chord with me!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I find too many choices to be confusing sometimes. When I get home, I find out I have the wrong product because I checked for 3 of the variables when there were 4. That's one of the many reasons I enjoy shopping at the health food store--fewer things to choose from.

My poor DH gets stung a lot buying something other than what he meant to buy.

 

[disneysteve]

most brands I buy are the same brands that were in my home as a child, and grocery stores in general were just simpler then. I could be happy with less choices. I would even be ok with stores closing at reasonable hours. Sorry about getting OT but this thread hit a chord with me!

I don't think you are OT at all. Choice is not just about what to buy, its also about where and when to shop. You are right that more and more stores are open very early to very late or even 24 hours. Some people want that because they work nites or odd shifts and can't always get to the store during "regular" business hours. DW and I were just wishing the post office would have evening hours. We have a package to ship and we both work. I'm stuck going to the post office at lunch time when half the world is doing the same thing.

A patient of mine went to Greece a few years ago. When she came back, she said one thing that shocked her was the size of their grocery stores - about the size of our convenience stores like 7-11 or WaWa. And that is where the residents do their regular weekly shopping. No aisle with 80 different kinds of soda. No racks and racks of every imaginable candy bar (or gum). And the people there were perfectly happy and in much better shape physically.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I've often commented on the ridiculous number of choices we are faced with at the supermarket, drug store, etc. And I know a couple of books have been written on the subject. Just one more example occurred today.

I was in line to check out at my local Wal-Mart. I counted no less than 42 different types of chewing gum for sale. And this isn't even in a candy store or even the candy aisle of the store. This was next to the conveyor belt at the register. Who the heck needs all of that?

So I take it you're not a big fan of WDW's new ticket plan? I always get APs but my MIL is going to be with us for half a trip this year and this thing is giving me a headache.

 

[swilphil]

All of the choices just make us spend more money. This high number of choices has contributed to my problem with clutter. I was thinking how my parents managed to have a much smaller home with smaller closests, but were able to keep things much more organized. Take kitchen appliances. My parents didn't have a bread maker, George Forman Grill, food processor or smoothie maker. They had a stove, blender and toaster and got by just fine.

Of course, I do like having a choice of different tea flavors and salad dressings. When you are trying to eat healthy, it helps to have this variety.

 

[Planogirl]

The funny thing is that our favorite flavor of gum has been changed and we hate it now. Orbit bubblegum has been changed to bubblemint so now we have to try to find another good sugar-free bubblegum.

Oh well, we really don't need the stuff.