Downsizing Becomes a Warning For Consumers

By Jackie B Trottmann

It amazes me that some companies think that consumers must be a bunch of dummies. In this era of escalating prices and downsizing of our nation's companies and their workers, there is a different downsizing going on - the products we are buying! Yes, I can't keep silent about this any longer. I am standing on my soap box made up of Irish Spring bars that used to be 5 ounces, downsized to 4.5 ounces which are now 4 ounces for the same price!

My husband came home from Wal-Mart clutching the last remaining package of Irish Spring Soap where the bars were 4.5 ounces. As he was standing there, the stock person was putting the new packages of 4 ounce bars on the shelf. Making one of my many weekly trips to the grocery store, I found our favorite Ice Cream, Edy's, downsized from the normal half gallon to one and a half quarts for the same price! Do companies really think we as consumers aren't noticing? Or are we all so busy that we really aren't noticing? It seems that every time I go to the store there is another product that has been whittled down. Since the 1980's coffee has slowly gone from one pound containers to as little as 11 ounces!

Here's something to chew on, Extra Gum went from 17 sticks to 15. Lay's Potato Chips, "Bet you can't eat just one".... You won't be eating 12 ounces because the bags are now 10 ounces. Hellman's Real Mayonnaise downsized from 32 real ounces to 30 ounces. Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, Bounty Paper Towels, Shedd's Spread - all downsized and all at the same price. There have been studies conducted to say that consumers would rather pay the same price for less as opposed to paying more. I don't know about you, but I've never been asked to participate in a study like this. Given higher prices versus the same price for less seems to make sense, but it's the deceptive way that the process is handled that disturbs me.

Why can't the label say something to the effect, even in fine print, that due to increased fuel costs or corn costs, or whatever costs, we have made the tough decision to not pass along the increase to you; instead, we have cut back a little on the contents so that you're not spending more money on more items. I might be initially ticked off, but at least I was told. I'm sure you're wondering what happens in the case of a product like potato chips when the package keeps decreasing to the point of it being so small to really get your attention? The answer is simple; the company comes out with a New Bigger Size! In reality, it's the same bag be it twelve ounces or sixteen ounces that the company came on the market to begin with! Only now, all of the price increases have been tacked on.

This, my fellow consumers, is what the wonderful world of advertising and marketing has come to. So, I'm not sure if my message has caused you to pay more attention or made you depressed. The only solution I have at this initial writing is to jump in the game and clip coupons, wait for sales and actually turn in those rebates that 95% of us never turn in. That's another downsized soap box for another day.

Jackie B. Trottmann is the National Sales Manager for Total Success Advertising, a leading direct response advertising agency. She is also an author and public speaker. To learn more about how to make direct response advertising work for your business, visit http://www.totalsuccessadvertising.com