OT: Ice Cream Rant

[Keith A]

You are probably thinking, what can anyone have against ice cream. Well my displeasure isn't really with ice cream itself, but rather with the package downsizing that many of the manufactures are doing. How long has ice cream been sold in 1/2 gallon sizes (for the USA)? Ever since I was a kid, ice cream came in 1/2 gallon cartons.

Now many of the of the packages have been downsized to 1.75 quarts. Do they really think we don't realize that they are charging the same for a product that has been reduced by 12.5%? I wonder how much it cost them to reformat their production for this new size package -- and how long will it take them to recover this cost?

The next step that we will see is that they are going to metric sizes and offer a 1.5 liter container. Since 1.75 quarts is equal to 1.656 liters, then going to 1.5 liters just makes sense. Well I say, let’s make the jump to metric sizes right now and go to a 2 liter container since a 1/2 gallon is 1.893 liters :D

BTW, I know product downsizing happens all the time, but somehow it just bugs me more when they change a product to an odd size. The next thing you know they'll start selling water in 0.792516154 gallons...oops, too late, Zephyrills has already started this with their new 3 liter container that cost the same as the one gallon and it doesn't have a handle :crap:

Okay, now I can get back to work :rolleyes:

[dave thompson]

I feel your pain buddy. The coffee companies have been just as sneaky throughout the years with their 16/15/14/14/13/12OZ package downsizing. That's in addition to using crappier quality beans.

[alancw3]

it all has to do with MONEY!!! the manufacturers feel that the consumer would rather still pay $5.13 for a container of ice cream than pay $6.13 for a half gallon i.e. decrease size rather than increase size). i personally have to blame the consumer for accepting this. m&m's did this several years ago with their 16oz. size now reduced to 14oz and folgers coffee. for me i will not accept this and DO NOT buy ice anymore that is not in half gallon containers. whatever!!!

[Keith A]

Sometimes I wonder if I am the only person that looks at the cost per unit when purchasing something. There are times when bigger isn't always the better deal.

It would be interesting to do some market research with the two sized ice cream containers. If the 1/2 gallon size was priced more, but the cost per unit was lower than the 1.75 quart size. I wonder if most people would just go for the least expensive and not the better buy.

[Ginger]

Yeah...and the farmer isn't getting much more for the milk than they did before the change.

[alancw3]

unfortunately i believe that the consumer just doesn't care. i find that the majority of people are just to busy with their everyday lives to care. i wonder how this fits into the inflation calculation?? the bigger picture is that these same people are just to busy to see where we, as a country, are going. i am sure that the politicians are counting on this!

[Ahneida Ride]

I wonder how this fits into the inflation calculation?? the bigger picture is that these same people are just to busy to see where we, as a country, are going. I am sure that the politicians are counting on this!

Amen Brother. Not one person in 500 understands fractional reserve banking
and how banks create counterfiet bills outa thin air.
We are paying interest on nothing! :confused:

[Karin Kirk]

OK, this is slightly realted, but in a different direction. Have you noticed that while ice cream containers are getting smaller, clothing is getting larger?

We just placed a re-order for t-shirts. Every size was a size larger than it had been before. The mediums were like larges, and larges were like XLs, and the XLs were like tents! We compared the old order to our previous order and sure enough every size had been supersized! We had to return the tent-like XLs and order more small sizes to compensate. A few days later I heard a story on NPR to this same effect - American clothing sizes are increasing so we can all still wear the same size we wore 10 years ago.

Too bad that reducing the size of the ice cream container by 10% won't help us reduce our girth by the same amount!

[bostondrunk]

Me like Cherry Garcia....Mmmmm

[catulle]

You are probably thinking, what can anyone have against ice cream. Well my displeasure isn't really with ice cream itself, but rather with the package downsizing that many of the manufactures are doing. How long has ice cream been sold in 1/2 gallon sizes (for the USA)? Ever since I was a kid, ice cream came in 1/2 gallon cartons.

Now many of the of the packages have been downsized to 1.75 quarts. Do they really think we don't realize that they are charging the same for a product that has been reduced by 12.5%? I wonder how much it cost them to reformat their production for this new size package -- and how long will it take them to recover this cost?

The next step that we will see is that they are going to metric sizes and offer a 1.5 liter container. Since 1.75 quarts is equal to 1.656 liters, then going to 1.5 liters just makes sense. Well I say, let’s make the jump to metric sizes right now and go to a 2 liter container since a 1/2 gallon is 1.893 liters :D

BTW, I know product downsizing happens all the time, but somehow it just bugs me more when they change a product to an odd size. The next thing you know they'll start selling water in 0.792516154 gallons...oops, too late, Zephyrills has already started this with their new 3 liter container that cost the same as the one gallon and it doesn't have a handle :crap:

Okay, now I can get back to work :rolleyes:


Ice-cream should be abolished from the face of planet Earth. That might just be the only way I can liberate myself from the stuff. I think it is a good thing they are downsizing the containers. That allows me to curtail the comsumption of the darn thing. If you saw my freezer (and my fat to muscle ratio) you would understand. Ice-cream is evil. I particularly hate eskimo-pies. If only one of them smart bombs being dropped all over Irak would stray towards Häagen-Dazs headquarters. And to think that ice-cream is mostly air. Excuse me, time for an eskimo-pie break.

[Keith A]

catulle -- Thanks for the post, that was truly a LOL. BTW, is there any particular Eskimo Pie that you hate the most?

http://www.coolbrandsinternational.com/brands/eskimopie/eskimopie.jpg

[djg]

OK, this is slightly realted, but in a different direction. Have you noticed that while ice cream containers are getting smaller, clothing is getting larger?



Yes. It turns out that folks do notice that the ice cream containers are getting smaller. When the manufacturers drop container size by 10%, people buy two, instead of one, and end up eating considerably more ice cream. They know what size clothing they wear, and complain justifiably when their knowledge does not fit into their old clothes. The clothing manufacturers then make each given size clothing larger, bringing consumer knowledge and reality back into harmony. A haines t still costs 6 bucks (or still costs 40 bucks if it has a guy's name on it), so we're really getting more t-shirt for our money, thus bringing the ice-cream/t-shirt stuff-per-marketed-unit system back into equilibrium. It's all good, nu?

Lately, the kids are liking the "skinny cow" ice cream sandwiches, which are not bad IMHO, although not quite like the mango ice cream conic section they brought me at le paradou the other day, or the gelato they've started hawking at Joe's.

[Keith A]

BTW, I really hate Publix's chocolate chunk ice cream. That stuff really is evil and it is not happy till the container is empty. I have a friend of mine that used to by this stuff by the case load as delivered to the stores :D

[crf]

The real thorn is the commodification of water. Most natural water supplies have been soiled by pollution for decades, so we all tend to avoid tap water for the 'healthier' stuff you need to buy in a store. Only who know if these water companies are just filtering what's out back and then selling it for a hellatious profit. Even better, the plastic bottles (especially the cloudy ones) are supposed to contaminate the 'good' water, so if one is a complete hypochondriac, one has to consider the much more expensive glass bottles.

And now I've noticed that Poland Spring has reduced their stock bottles from a gallon to slightly over 3 liters. At first the prices were reduced proportionately; but now they're pretty close to what a gallon used to cost. It's a bait and switch.

I'll also second what Karin said. I was in Filene's some weeks ago, and the large sizes would fit Shaquille O'Neal comfortably...or replace a tent.

[catulle]

catulle -- Thanks for the post, that was truly a LOL. BTW, is there any particular Eskimo Pie that you hate the most?

http://www.coolbrandsinternational.com/brands/eskimopie/eskimopie.jpg

Hell, I ain't proud. In my quest for abolishing them I eat them all. I ain't prejudiced.

[67-59]

OK, this is slightly realted, but in a different direction. Have you noticed that while ice cream containers are getting smaller, clothing is getting larger?

We just placed a re-order for t-shirts. Every size was a size larger than it had been before. The mediums were like larges, and larges were like XLs, and the XLs were like tents! We compared the old order to our previous order and sure enough every size had been supersized! We had to return the tent-like XLs and order more small sizes to compensate. A few days later I heard a story on NPR to this same effect - American clothing sizes are increasing so we can all still wear the same size we wore 10 years ago.

Too bad that reducing the size of the ice cream container by 10% won't help us reduce our girth by the same amount!

Karin,

I just experienced that with Levi's jeans. I have to wear suits to work, so jeans just get worn on weekends/evenings and therefore last for years. A few weeks ago, the two pairs of Levi's that had lasted about a decade finally needed replacing, so I went to the store and tried on the same size in the same "model," and found them to be huge. It wasn't just slight variation either, but a dramatic change in the sizes. So a few years ago, I needed a 34 waist (which was even a big snug by now), and now I'm down to a 32 (and it's even a little loose). Another decade or two, and I'll be down to 28....

[Keith A]

Hell, I ain't proud. In my quest for abolishing them I eat them all. I ain't prejudiced.http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/24.gif

[Keith A]

And now I've noticed that Poland Spring has reduced their stock bottles from a gallon to slightly over 3 liters. At first the prices were reduced proportionately; but now they're pretty close to what a gallon used to cost. It's a bait and switch.I just checked their website (http://www.polandspring.com/Products/ThreeLiter.aspx) and it is exactly 3 liters. BTW, I discovered that Poland Springs and Zephyrhills must be owned by the same company as their websites are identical except for the label on the package.

Edit: Indeed...they are both owned by Nestlé Waters North America.

[Lunar Probe]

I knew it was a losing battle when they originally down-sized the ice cream sandwich.

[cydewaze]

I just checked their website (http://www.polandspring.com/Products/ThreeLiter.aspx) and it is exactly 3 liters. BTW, I discovered that Poland Springs and Zephyrhills must be owned by the same company as their websites are identical except for the label on the package.

Edit: Indeed...they are both owned by Nestlé Waters North America.
Same thing with Deer Park. Same website.

[vaxn8r]

Catulle, I wanna party with you dude. I'll be right over.

[catulle]

Catulle, I wanna party with you dude. I'll be right over.

I think Dario would love to join us too.

[Peter P.]

Actually, the reduction is ice cream container size is a secret government program to control our fat intake. The government cannot afford to have so many fat people in our country because it needs a ready supply of healthy adults to fit its wars.

Next, expect to see Surgeon General warnings on the box.

Your rights are slowly being stripped from you...

[amper]

Chocolate ice cream does not get better than this ATMO.


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00032DCRS.01-A3CDPEGSIQM61V._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[toaster]

I understand that a price increase has been the result. You got to ask yourself how's your portion management?

A lot of restaurants choose to provide huge portions because their repeat business depends upon whether people think they got enough food to justify the price. Nevermind the consumer will most likely eat every last bit and leave the restaurant uncomfortably stuffed.

[Ginger]

American clothing sizes are increasing so we can all still wear the same size we wore 10 years ago.

Karin,
Thanks for confirming.
I've been trying to figure out why I fit in 6s and 4s now...of course...I now swim in the the medium sweatshirts I have that used to fit 10 years ago...so maybe it's a combined thing for me.

Ages ago, sizes in women's clothing had more to do with how much money you spent. Clothing manufacturers didn't pander to the masses. Regular casual clothes were true to size, but if you spent more suddenly you went down two sizes for the same fit. Don't know if that still applies...

[manet]

I swim in medium sweatshirts

ever win anything at those contests

[H.Frank Beshear]

This is where I stop (http://www.whiteysicecream.com/) on the way home after a long ride. Don't ask about the fat and calories cause you dont want to know. They send malts world wide the owner did a spot on Food tv once held a shake over his head for several minutes, took about 10 for it to fall out of the cup. If you ever come visit the malts are on me. Oh yeah Keith a 1/2 gallon is still a 1/2 gallon for them. :D

[catulle]

Chocolate ice cream does not get better than this ATMO.


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00032DCRS.01-A3CDPEGSIQM61V._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I think you're on to something there. Once at a mall in CT I ate six Godiva eskimo-pies during the time my wife was doing her shopping. They no longer sell them at that store, though. :butt:

[Ginger]

ever win anything at those contests

No. You *know* it goes to the dyed to match with the rings.

[manet]

is that the same as the carpet matching the drapesNo. You *know* it goes to the dyed to match with the rings.

[Ginger]

Yes.

[Keith A]

Not only are our ice cream containers gettings smaller, but Ginger's and manet's messages are disappearing...

[znfdl]

Since ice cream packages are only good for one serving they have fewer calories :D