Inflation snapshots: December 2009

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Was this a recent "switch" - perhaps with Ontario an early adopter ?

Geez - it's getting pretty bad when you can't trust a Quaker !

FC, I do not think Quaker cares much about "carving out" Ontario.

Look for the new an "improved" version at a store near you shortly.

Isn't the new box nicer with the green and all? But please don't mind the 17%+ inflation because BoC says its only running at 1.5% p.a. and that is why they must keep the overnight rate at 1% .

[flintlock]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

We received a "Whitman's sampler" of candy for Xmas. Yesterday I opened it up and noticed the usual two layers divided by a piece of cardboard had been replaced with one layer and only more cardboard underneath the divider. Just one layer now, but the box is the same size. 50% less calories!

[Kadriana]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Are those gummy dinosaurs in the oatmeal? I've never seen those before. I have noticed the cereal boxes getting a lot smaller lately. I remember when I use to be able to get cereal on sale for 50 cents a box using coupons. Now it's a $1.50 for a lot smaller box. Good thing my kids like plain oatmeal with brown sugar added. They haven't shrunk those containers, yet.

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Are those gummy dinosaurs in the oatmeal?

I think so. Let me find out...

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Yep, dinosaurs, but not gummy; more like hard sugar.

The "shell" dissolve fairly quickly in boiling water, then you end up with the sugar "animal".

(I took one "egg" and put it into a martini glass as you can see and added boiling water...)

Mystery solved!

[aaron]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I feel inflation everywhere, but I do not keep close track of things. However, last night parking went from $7 to $8 dollars for the evening. But, what's a dollar, right? --> 15%

Picture of the $7 space:




Picture of $8 dollar space:




#############

Yes, nothing changed. The same space, the same size, the same everything - Just an increase in costs.

[don]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Yep, dinosaurs, but not gummy; more like hard sugar.

The "shell" dissolve fairly quickly in boiling water, then you end up with the sugar "animal".

(I took one "egg" and put it into a martini glass as you can see and added boiling water...)

Mystery solved!

Tried it. Still prefer an olive in my martini.

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Tried it. Still prefer an olive in my martini.

I will make sure to remember that don, when we finaly have our very first "iTulip in flesh pow wow"...

[Kadriana]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Yep, dinosaurs, but not gummy; more like hard sugar.

The "shell" dissolve fairly quickly in boiling water, then you end up with the sugar "animal".

(I took one "egg" and put it into a martini glass as you can see and added boiling water...)

Mystery solved!

Those are pretty cute dinosaurs. I can see why they're popular with so many kids.

[jk]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

from yesterday's askfleck:

Hi Fleck,

My wife works at a retail clothing store that has worldwide operations (She works in a store at south coast plaza in orange county, CA so fairly high end) . We were talking about inflation and I mentioned quality sometimes goes down before price is up. She then said she and other coworkers had noticed that the quality of the fabrics was less recently. I guess this would be no surprise to you. Shows you how hard it is for CPI to account for qualitative things like the quality of clothes.

» Restaurants do that all the time. I'd prefer just to pay up for the same quality, I mean who can get upset for a business raising it's prices when its costs are screaming higher?

[LargoWinch]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Those are pretty cute dinosaurs.

I am sure that as far as the BLS is concerned the "cuteness" factor is now up - I mean look at it! You should see the previous ones... (/sarcasm).

Hence, despite the decrease in product the "enjoyment" is now higher, thus: no inflation.

[lektrode]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

....

» Restaurants do that all the time. I'd prefer just to pay up for the same quality, I mean who can get upset for a business raising it's prices when its costs are screaming higher?

agreed!
would much prefer they just honestly raise the price and let _us_ decide if the item is its worth their price, vs fraudulantly duping us into buying the now overpriced/lower quality junk - dunno who they think theyre foolin, these 'marketing geniuses' - but i'd much rather pay more and get what i thot i was buying than to suffer the effects of sub-par ingredients

but i guess when bernanke is doing it, the rest of em figger: why not us too?

[zoog]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

The NYT finally notices?

Food Inflation Kept Hidden in Tinier Bags

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD and CATHERINE RAMPELL

Published: March 28, 2011

Chips are disappearing from bags, candy from boxes and vegetables from cans.

As an expected increase in the cost of raw materials looms for late summer, consumers are beginning to encounter shrinking food packages...

nyt

[Milton Kuo]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

The NYT finally notices?

Food Inflation Kept Hidden in Tinier Bags

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD and CATHERINE RAMPELL

Published: March 28, 2011

Chips are disappearing from bags, candy from boxes and vegetables from cans.

As an expected increase in the cost of raw materials looms for late summer, consumers are beginning to encounter shrinking food packages...

nyt

The February 2011 issue of Consumer Reports also has an article on product shrinkage.

[aaron]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I recently lifted up a can of diet soda . It felt light.
Nope, it still has 12 ounces of liquid... but why so light?
The only explanation is that they increased the CO2 content (more bubbles = less soda)

This technique may not work as well with a real, non-diet soda. You would notice the calories go down on the label. However, if a soda maker could time a CO2 increase with a switch from "bad" corn syrup to "good" cane sugar, they could probably pull it off.

Regardless, I grabbed a can of Pepsi to keep for a test in 6 months. I suspect it will weigh less, have lower calories, but still sell for the same price. It will also taste the same (since most of those bubbles pop).

If any soda drinking iTulipers have old soda stored, see if they weigh the same as the new, improved cans of soda.