You Just Can't Get Ahead

Today is my grocery shopping day so off we went to my favorite grocery store. This one has its origins in New York and is well known throughout our area.

Recently they stated that they would not raise prices on at least 40-plus store brand items lasting through the end of the year. I thought, how generous of them.

Today I was in need of paper towels. Living with three cats is cause to have such an item in the house, and I don't like being without them so I stock up when the price is right. I bought the store brand today for the same price I have been paying all of this year. I also noticed there was new packaging and thought, nice.   Still 8 rolls, still the same price. I guess they weren't lying.

For some unknown reason I decided to compare the fine print on the package. Not so fine, but you get the idea. What I discovered by doing that is, although they did not raise the price, they did take some of the product away. There are now 8 sheets less per roll for a loss of 64 sheets and the square foot size went from 403.3 to 330.4. And that's not all! Each towel is now 11 x 10.4 inches compared to 11 x 11 for the other ones.

The front of the package, however, states NOW! EVEN STRONGER & MORE ABSORBENT. I certainly hope so, since they got smaller.    Wait!  How can they be more absorbent if there is less product?  Oh, never mind, that's not the idea, I understand I think.

So the overall price did not get raised, but the unit price did. Ah, therein lies the rub...they didn't mention that in their statement about not raising prices. So we are paying the same and getting less product. Just like the big brand manufacturers have been doing for quite some time now. For instance, when is the last time you actually purchased a half gallon of ice cream?

See what I mean? You just cannot get ahead these days.