Inflation snapshots: December 2009

[doom&gloom]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

didn't ask, they weren't very good to begin with, and my waistline certainly does not need more fries.

[WildspitzE]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Devoted Customer Upset Jimmy Dean Downsized Sausage 16oz To 12oz But Charges Same Price

http://consumerist.com/2007/11/devot...ame-price.html

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Devoted Customer Upset Jimmy Dean Downsized Sausage 16oz To 12oz But Charges Same Price

http://consumerist.com/2007/11/devot...ame-price.html

[metalman]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

lose ¢37 on every unit... make it up on volume.

[Aetius Romulous]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

This "value melt" has been going on for a generation.

The physical downsizing of product units is really just the last resort, when you consider that most manufactured products have had incredible production cost declines due to technology, transport, and economies of scale. Without this "I can see it, feel it, touch it" inflation most of these things would retail for pennies (almost).

I play this game in the grocery store, pointing out things and saying..."see that? That's inflation!". In this way my wife now lets me stay home.

My personal favorite - the "Wagon Wheel", which has become a "Wagon Hub". I can actually hide one in my closed hand form my daughter now.

[cjppjc]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

The Friendly Skies?

DALLAS - If you want a pillow and blanket in coach on American Airlines, it's going to cost you.
The airline will charge $8 for a pillow and blanket in coach class for domestic trips and some international flights longer than two hours, beginning May 1. The international flights are to and from Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Central America.
Spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said Monday it was an economic decision.

[ggirod]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Sticker Shock - Target used to sell canned Iams dogfood in 6 packs for $5.54. Now the same pack with new redesigned labels on the cans is $8.49 --- 8.49/5.54=1.53 :eek:

Individual cans rose by about the same amount.

[raja]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I wonder if all these examples of shrinking portions and rising prices are not a side-effect of deflation?

If you define "inflation" strictly as higher prices for goods, then, yes, it's inflation. But typically inflation is thought of as too much money available in the society, such as from high wages, which then causes prices to rise.

What I imagine is happening now is that businesses are in trouble -- either from lower income due to demand destruction (e.g., restaurants), or from overleveraging -- and they are trying to maintain their former profit levels by raising prices and reducing portions. In other words, the deflationary squeeze is on, and rising prices are merely a symptom of trying to stay above water.

[rjwjr]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

The Friendly Skies?

DALLAS - If you want a pillow and blanket in coach on American Airlines, it's going to cost you.
The airline will charge $8 for a pillow and blanket in coach class for domestic trips and some international flights longer than two hours, beginning May 1. The international flights are to and from Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Central America.
Spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said Monday it was an economic decision.

Thanks for the insightful explanation there Andrea. Have you submitted your resume for the position of White House spokeswoman?

Plus, shouldn't we males be offended by the word spokeswoman? Isn't she a spokesperson? Has the pendulum swung the other way or is the world simply full of busibodied hypochrites?

[EricPhan]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I'm sure this sort of thing has gone on in good times, but my guess is that it's increased as of late due to the economy -

http://www.naturalnews.com/028134_food_labels_DNA.html

"Two high school students, Brenda Tan and Matt Cost at the Trinity School of Manhattan, gathered 151 DNA samples from foods and objects in their and neighbor's homes as part of a science project. Of the samples, a large percentage were found to not be what their packaging said they were - they were mislabeled and, some think, intentionally so.

Of 66 fish samples, 11 of them were mislabeled as the wrong type of fish. Most of those fish were the prepackaged varieties. Expensive sheep`s milk cheese and pricey goat`s milk were both found to have been from cows instead. Venison dog treats were based on beef, not venison. Sturgeon caviar was found to really be from Mississippi paddlefish."

[metalman]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I'm sure this sort of thing has gone on in good times, but my guess is that it's increased as of late due to the economy -

http://www.naturalnews.com/028134_food_labels_DNA.html

"Two high school students, Brenda Tan and Matt Cost at the Trinity School of Manhattan, gathered 151 DNA samples from foods and objects in their and neighbor's homes as part of a science project. Of the samples, a large percentage were found to not be what their packaging said they were - they were mislabeled and, some think, intentionally so.

Of 66 fish samples, 11 of them were mislabeled as the wrong type of fish. Most of those fish were the prepackaged varieties. Expensive sheep`s milk cheese and pricey goat`s milk were both found to have been from cows instead. Venison dog treats were based on beef, not venison. Sturgeon caviar was found to really be from Mississippi paddlefish."

17% bullshit... not bad.

[jimmygu3]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

My daughter noticed this one: The boxes of Girl Scout cookies she sells are conspicuously smaller than last year.
Girl Scout Cookies Get Smaller

Updated: Monday, 01 Mar 2010, 9:09 AM EST(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Boxes of Thin Mints will be a bit thinner this year.
The same will be true for Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Shortbread Cookies, DoSiDos and Trefoils, according to a CNN story on this year’s Girl Scout cookies.
The Girl Scouts of the USA said that it has reduced the number of cookies per box as it deals with rising transportation and baking costs.
Girl Scouts spokeswoman Michelle Tompkins stated that the cost increases led the organization to “lower the weight of our cookie boxes slightly rather than ask our customers to pay a higher per-package price during these difficult times.”
Each of the four styles will have two to four fewer cookies. The Lemon Chalet Crèmes will be smaller.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

My daughter noticed this one: The boxes of Girl Scout cookies she sells are conspicuously smaller than last year.
Girl Scout Cookies Get Smaller

Updated: Monday, 01 Mar 2010, 9:09 AM EST(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Boxes of Thin Mints will be a bit thinner this year.
The same will be true for Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Shortbread Cookies, DoSiDos and Trefoils, according to a CNN story on this year’s Girl Scout cookies.
The Girl Scouts of the USA said that it has reduced the number of cookies per box as it deals with rising transportation and baking costs.
Girl Scouts spokeswoman Michelle Tompkins stated that the cost increases led the organization to “lower the weight of our cookie boxes slightly rather than ask our customers to pay a higher per-package price during these difficult times.”
Each of the four styles will have two to four fewer cookies. The Lemon Chalet Crèmes will be smaller.

We just had an emergency supply of girl scout cookies sent to us by some old friends in the US.

While the boxes appear smaller than I distantly recall.....I can assure you they still have the same impact on growing my waistline.

So do I calculate that as inflation or spin my increased waistline as being heuristically challenged?

[jimmygu3]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

We just had an emergency supply of girl scout cookies sent to us by some old friends in the US.

While the boxes appear smaller than I distantly recall.....I can assure you they still have the same impact on growing my waistline.

So do I calculate that as inflation or spin my increased waistline as being heuristically challenged?

I wonder if the smaller portions in so many food products will have an unintended obesity-fighting effect. Is it possible that they are also cutting back on the amount of fabric in a pair of pants? There was a great episode of MASH where shrunk Frank Burns' clothes to make him think he was gaining weight...

Jimmy

[dbarberic]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

In the WSJ today (3/12/10)

Retail Pricing Power Seems to Be on Mend
By Kelly Evans

After a 2009 marked by heavy discounting and inventory liquidation, some retailers are starting to get their swagger—and pricing power—back.
On Friday, the Commerce Department is expected to say retail sales dipped slightly in February after a strong January increase, held back in part by unusually cold and snowy conditions last month. Yet sales are still likely to be up about 3% from a year ago, in contrast with the ...

The rest of the article requires a subscription.

Seems to follow the inflationary cycle that EJ was forecasting. We've worked through inventory liquidation and substitution. What is left now are price increases.