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Our grocery stores have unit prices for everything (maybe it's a NJ thing). This way you can always compare what you pay for items and chart how the prices change. My parents have been doing this on their computers since 1981. It's funny because they can tell you the unit price of what they paid for icecream before and after every presidential term.
Its a national thing, been around for decades, but so many folks still have no idea what it is .
I buy using unit pricing. This way the physical package size means squat. This way judging the amount of contents means squat. This means that nothing the marketing folks are trying to use to get me to buy their product thinking its a good deal has any impact on me. I am buying base on the cost of the individual unit price.
I have a baseline price I know the item normally sells for and no matter what package size, type or price is in front of me, if the unit price is the same, I know I am paying the same per unit for that item as I normally pay . If the unit price is higher, I know the price of the item went up . I the uinit price is lower, I know its on sale . I could care less what package they put it in, how big or small it is, or what picture is on the prackage...all meaningless.
Another reason that unit pricig is important is when they con the heck out of you by using these bigger packages with bigger content but you have no reference to decide if the bigger content means a savings over other packages. I see this alot where people are picking up these supersized packages with some big sign saying super low price, but when I look at the unit pirce, its more per unit. I can buy one of those big packages like their marketing people want you to do, or 3 of the smaller packages and the three smaller ones will give me more contents at a cheaper price.
Well, I heard that many companies want to switch their packages to pouches. Soups and such, as example. It would be really hard to visualize a pouch vs can. And then there will be extra air space to "keep it fresh"... yeah, right. Kitchen staples from Campbell Soup Co. and H.J. Heinz Co. will be joining other consumer products in pouches this year. The trend is being driven by savings on packaging and shipping costs as well as aesthetics – an upscale pouch sporting elaborate graphics offers a modernized look and premium appeal, marketers say.The technology used in stand up pouches has also improved, giving food nearly double the shelf life. Switching to food pouch packaging made easier by partnership
The only thing I would like about pouches vs. cans is the weight of how much I have to carry up the stairs to my apartment.
Come to think of it I saw on the internet yesterday where this article said something about how robots are now doing the jobs of humans. I mean more than ever now. Where there used to be humans driving the hand trucks or whatever you call them they now have the robotics getting the products from the warehouse and the humans do some of the packaging. I wonder if this is another reason for the change from cans to pouches I don't see it in the article.
The smaller packages would not bother me as long as they kept the price the same. I feel like i am getting double cheated when they raise the price and reduce the amount. I have noticed this the most in chips. My favorite chips to eat are Hot Cheetos. Over the years, I have seen the bag change sizes and they only fill the bag up halfway. I also love fuffles but why have a big bag when its less than halfway full? I will never pay $4 for a bag of chips that is halfway full. I just wait until they go on sale for $2.
Well, with chips and cereal there is a reason. The bags are filled with air, because the chips/cereal as delicate items, can pose several challenges. Chips can be broken by rollers on the packing line or pressure from machinery that seals the bags. Extra air limits pressure on chips when bags are stacked.
I think they inject the bags with a gas to keep the chips fresh and prevent breakage.
Here is some explanation ( warning: language ) 6 Subtle Ways You're Getting Screwed at the Grocery Store | Cracked.com
The only thing I would like about pouches vs. cans is the weight of how much I have to carry up the stairs to my apartment.
Come to think of it I saw on the internet yesterday where this article said something about how robots are now doing the jobs of humans. I mean more than ever now. Where there used to be humans driving the hand trucks or whatever you call them they now have the robotics getting the products from the warehouse and the humans do some of the packaging. I wonder if this is another reason for the change from cans to pouches I don't see it in the article.
The main root reason is money (or should we say profits).
Rigid packaging such as cans and bottles are often shipped in. It takes dozens of trailer to equal what one trailer can carry in flat formed packaging. This saves lots of cash.
Flat formed packaging is sanitary sealed at manufacturing so they are ready for filling as they are expanded. Other rigid or open forms of packaging have to undergo a sanitray cleaning. Saving the second cleaning step saves lots of cash.
Flat formed packaging have intergrated (sealed upon itself) closures reducing the need to have tops and lids. This reduces the steps and machinary involved in closingt he package saves lots of cash.
On flat formed packaing, the package, closure/lid and Label are all one meaning no other macjine attaching labels. There is no need for additional inspections to ensure label is correct side up, straight or readabale. All this saves the lots of cash.
Now, once these flat formed packages are filled, depending on the closure design, they can be flat like a jucie container, or they can be pointed like the tuna packages. Flat tops can be packed and shipped pretty much like all other rigid packaging (just add a layer board) and cost no more money to containerize. Pointed tops do require a bit more carton work to accomodate the uneven top, but robits can do that real easy. The overall shipping weight is reduced thus saving even more money.
Most modern food processing plants already have little human contact on the machine packing line and there reaally is no savings in personnel because the machines need minimnal human inetervention.
Not a food package, but it ticks me to see the gas prices as $3.49.9
How is the last "9" even measured???
Easy. Ten gallons is $34.99. The digital settings inside the pump work their wonders in mysterious ways.
Back when gas was 24 cents a gallon, stations discovered they could charge 23.9, make the suckers think it was cheaper, and still got to keep nearly the whole 4% that they appeared to be knocking off. now that 0.9 cents doesn't seem to be worth enough to bother, but they still do it.
I think gas might be the only thing in the USA whose price is quoted by the fraction of a cent. Although the US Postal Service as recently as the 1990s was issuing stamps in fractional denominations:
I ordered a bunch of those from the philatelic service and used them for mailing letters, drove the post office crazy adding them up to see if there was enough.
I stopped at ta local supermarket after work today to pick up a few items and could not believe how small a box of Ritz crackers has gotten. I didn't notice the actual size, but it was so ridiculously small that I put it back and will go without. The smaller soda bottles, ice cream, potato chips, cereal boxes, and 59 oz orange juices have been ticking me off for a while now. Which food items have you noticed that have just gotten to be beyond ridiculous?
About a year or so ago, I noticed that canned tuna went from 6 oz. to 5 oz. I buy it for one of my cats who won't eat cat food. It did tick me off, because the price has gone higher and higher. When it's on sale, I load up.
For you youngsters, did you know that coffee actually used to come in one-pound cans? Yes, that's right, 16 ounces. Then it went to 12. Now I see it's 11.5 ounces.
I am sure that in addition to getting less, we're paying for the reconfigured packaging, too.
The smaller packages would not bother me as long as they kept the price the same. I feel like i am getting double cheated when they raise the price and reduce the amount. I have noticed this the most in chips. My favorite chips to eat are Hot Cheetos. Over the years, I have seen the bag change sizes and they only fill the bag up halfway. I also love fuffles but why have a big bag when its less than halfway full? I will never pay $4 for a bag of chips that is halfway full. I just wait until they go on sale for $2.
On the bright side, you're getting more free Cheeto-scented air!
It's not that they *think* that. It's because they know that. Market research has shown that people are generally overweight and stupid. Most people don't pay attention or even care about this kind of stuff.
I agree w/ you...
BUT
Who are they???
The government?? The market research????
Still who are THEY to tell me how "I" should spend my money???
Am "I" "you" representing myself / yourself as "individual" to be "discriminated" as well "into" a group that is also fat
(which by many means I am not but still loves food and to be able to have that freedom of choice to eat & what portion)????
In that... how are THEY not be the ones that "promote" this discrimination??? That need to put all of us as "incapable" to look after ourselves (via eating) hence that food control????
How much more "control" (portion control in this case) we should give to Them the THEY???
Really... something to think about if our society is going to a one party control = dictatorship of even whet we eat, have to eat... even to control that of our children.
And yes... the scary part is...
We as a society don't pay attention to nor "care about" giving up that control anymore... all thanks to the media controlled & biased to only 1 party.
Very scary indeed to have someone else tell us how to live, eat, to live or die via a solo control without no other choices (no competitor's choice = other options) but that of the government's grace.
P.S. the ones that tick me off is not due to shrinkage in weight due to gas prices that everyone have to pay for eventually ($h!tz roll down the hill from food producer to us the consumer b/c they are squeezed too) but the government enforced one... of trying to choke school deemed healthy food of a processed nuggets vs a home packed meal of a turkey sandwich. Now if they give the kids "filet mignon" wholesome meat, that would be a different story. Don't try to sell me only junk while keeping the "good goods" to yourself <- what ticks me off!!! Applies to all food companies / restaurant... feed me what you would feed your own family / child = safe & best!
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.
. If the unit price is higher, I know the price of the item went up 
. I the uinit price is lower, I know its on sale 
. I could care less what package they put it in, how big or small it is, or what picture is on the prackage...all meaningless.
