Milk bottled in 3/4 gallon vs 1 gallon

[Magic Mom]

I read an interesting article (linked at bottom) about stores and food companies changing the sizes that they package food in. The gist of the article is that people want smaller sizes so less goes to waste. I'm not convinced that's the entire reasoning behind the changes.
What are your thoughts?

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/15/america/Buying-in-Bits.php

 

[ajk912]

I see no point in having a 3/4 gallon. For people who don't need as much or are worried about waste, buy the 1/2 gallon. I can't see a huge group of people needing a 3/4 gallon! They are doing what the cereal companies (and others) do to make it look like they lowered the price, when they didn't. I am annoyed they are spending all that money on changing the packaging, when they could just give us a 5 cent discount on each gallon! We aren't stupid...

 

[LisaNJ25]

Thats just as bad as the smaller size bottles of soda.

 

[Magic Mom]

I see no point in having a 3/4 gallon. For people who don't need as much or are worried about waste, buy the 1/2 gallon. I can't see a huge group of people needing a 3/4 gallon! :rotfl: They are doing what the cereal companies (and others) do to make it look like they lowered the price, when they didn't. I am annoyed they are spending all that money on changing the packaging, when they could just give us a 5 cent discount on each gallon! We aren't stupid...

That's my take on it too. I wonder how many people will glance at the milk case, see the cheapest "gallon-sized" jug and take it thinking they are getting a gallon when they really aren't.

 

[eliza61]

I see no point in having a 3/4 gallon. For people who don't need as much or are worried about waste, buy the 1/2 gallon. I can't see a huge group of people needing a 3/4 gallon! They are doing what the cereal companies (and others) do to make it look like they lowered the price, when they didn't. I am annoyed they are spending all that money on changing the packaging, when they could just give us a 5 cent discount on each gallon! We aren't stupid...

Same thing happen with me and butter. Some of the diary companies are now shrinking the size of the sticks off butter. They still come 4 to a box but you think you're getting 4, sticks of butter (4 oz each) for a total of 1 lb, the sticks have shrunk by 2 tablespoons so you're actually getting 3oz sticks instead of the normal 4 oz sticks. It really po'ed me because when you bake the reciepes all say things like 2 sticks of butter, etc etc.

 

[TexasTodds]

I don't know what others are doing, but the logic of that article doesn't really make sense to me. It was mentioned that "people wante smaller sizes" so they can pay less for the same item. and just shop more often. First of all, the smaller size is rarely cheaper than the larger, and at least for me, the more often I shop, the more un-needed items I tend to pick up, so then the total cost is much more.

Yes, it is a challenge when the same cart of groceries that used to cost $100 is now $120, but I just try to make a list for the week of what we absolutely need, what we could use, and what would be a treat, and try to purchase accordingly for the same $100 budget.

Maybe if we just didn't BUY the smaller sizes, our wallets would speak loud and clear to the companies. I know that this wouldn't necesssarily work for all items, but for milk it certainly would. Another one that I noticed that seems to have a smaller size box is Ritz bits. When will it end?

 

[Lisa06468]

Considering we go thru about 4 gallons of milk a week, this will do me no good. I see it as another way to rob the consumer. If you cant manage to drink a whole gallon, buy a 1/2, like a previous poster said. Why would they even think of a 3/4 gallon jug? Whats it gonna cost, 50c less???

 

[disney1990]

Before you know it, the cost of that 3/4 gallon of milk will equal the price of the current price of a gallon. It's all marketing.

 

[ceecee]

That's absurd! If they want smaller than a gallon, buy a half gallon!

 

[TexasTodds]

That's absurd! If they want smaller than a gallon, buy a half gallon!

or as DH said when I told him that story..."If they are that concerned about waste, pour less in the glass". At least in my house with 3 kids that is what we are doing...make them ask for more. We still go through about 2 gallons a week, and I consider us a moderate milk drinking family.

I think I did see a website mentioned on this board (maybe it was somewhere else), www hillbillyhousewife com where she does dry milk and makes it each night for the next day. I think we would have to be pretty bad off to do that, but who know, it may come to that before long??

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Try finding a "half gallon" of ice cream. I know Publix still does provide 64 fluid ounces for their half gallon, but look at what the major companies have.

Similarly, you used to get a lot of cans that were actually a pound. Many of them have shrunk, a half ounce at a time, until they are now only a 14 ounce can. But the recipe calls for a pound. Either you have to shrink everything or buy two cans and have most of one of them go to waste.

 

[Tink415]

I might try the size to see if it works for our family. 1/2 gallon we usually run out, 1 gallon usually goes bad. I really wish we could buy hamburger and hotdog rolls in packs of 4. Packages of 8 are a waste for us and I don't like they way the rolls freeze.

 

[patsal]

Propaganda plain and simple. Put "the people asked for it" spin on it and how can you argue it, you don't have their data so you don't know. DDP people complained so we'll give you less and you can pay more, ice cream was downsized twice in the last two years while prices went up or remained the same. Coffee--try to find a pound. As someone else mentioned butter, now milk and I'm sure juice will follow--however that started with the pretty carafe of OJ a while back more money less product but pretty carafe, tampons less, paper towel less, napkins, cereal, candy bars used to have 10 in a pack now they have 8, it goes on and on. I just wish they wouldn't put the propaganda spin of we know what you want and we're giving you what you asked for. The PR depts. at many corporations do the same thing with benefits as well. I don't know what I would do without so many people looking out for my best interests

 

[DVC Sadie]

I see no point in having a 3/4 gallon. For people who don't need as much or are worried about waste, buy the 1/2 gallon. I can't see a huge group of people needing a 3/4 gallon! They are doing what the cereal companies (and others) do to make it look like they lowered the price, when they didn't. I am annoyed they are spending all that money on changing the packaging, when they could just give us a 5 cent discount on each gallon! We aren't stupid...

ITA!
We (consumers) are not stupid and yet we allow the food companies to get away with less product for more cost and it just burns my biscuits. If the food industry would just be honest and tell us why they are increasing the prices, such as, higher fuel costs or increase costs of ingredients then I would not have such a problem (attitude).

I wish that we (as a group) would e-mail and possibly boycott food companies that just try to plain deceive the public. Whew! I guess I needed to get that off of my chest.

 

[KatRob]

I found it amazing that the writer quoted a price of $2.80 for a gallon of milk in Cincinnati. I haven't seen milk that cheap in more than a year!

 

[ceecee]

That's about what it is in Dayton. Luckily our milk prices have not risen that much. Kroger had it 4 1/2 gal for $5.00 last week, so that's $2.50 a gallon.

 

[KatRob]

The Wal-Mart brand is $3.76 now. It has been $3.96 for a while. No one ever runs milk on sale where I live. The more I try to save on groceries, the more my DD and DH use for cereal and drinking.

 

[GraysMom]

OK, am I missing something here, or can someone just buy a half gallon plus a quart and end up with the 3/4 gallon total? It's not like consumers can't possibly get 3/4 of a gallon w/o the new size . I know it's all to increase company profits while robbing the consumer, but how stupid do they think we are?

 

[tjbjrjaj]

They did this with Sugar a year or two ago. Ever notice that you can buy 4lbs of surgar not 5lbs anymore??

 

[ohiominnie]

They did it with ice cream.....dropped it to 1.75 quarts instead of the standard 2 quarts (1/2 gallon)

They also did it with baby formula. They actually kept the same size can though--just filled it less! And kept the price the same!

It's all a way to make more profit off of us. Some of us see through it. But most will fall for it.