Do they really think we won't notice ?

[Newcomer]

Today me and my wife were talking about how a lot of the companies out there are taking items we use everyday and changing them slightly and calling them new and improved or new look same great taste but what they actually are doing is giving you less product for the same or higher price. I guess when they say new and improved the improved part means more money for them for less product. Below is a starter list of items that I have noticed they are downsizing but charging the same or higher price for. Add what items that you know of to this list.

Hillshire farms smoked sausage (horseshoe shaped) - Smaller size

Hostess Zingers/Twinkies - Much smaller in size

Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner - The can is same height but much narrower now like a furniture polish can.

Fleshmans Margarine Original - It used to be a solid dense margarine in the tub but now they whip it so its lighter and has less weight injected with air. less product in same container with NO change in wording that says it's whipped now.

Stouffers Roasted Turkey TV Dinners, They say now on the packaging "Now more mashed potatoes" The dinner used to come with Turkey, Mashed potatoes and green beans. They took away the green beans and added a little bit more of the instant potatoes. I am sure that adding a bit more potatoes and removing the veggies was a considerable cost savings on their part.

Numerous soft drinks - They state new earth friendly container that saves plastic but the drink volume had been decreased while the price has gone up from $1.29 to $1.49

These are just a few and I will add more as I think of them. Post your opinions and what you have noticed in this thread.

[Ironhorse]

That's been going on for a long time, last couple of years that I noticed. Where I first noticed was with the kids cereal. Also have noticed it with some soaps, hair products. The manufacturers think the public is stupid, and to some extent, maybe they're right, because instead of taking a stand and saying "I'm not buying this stuff anymore", we just keep purchasing the same product, instead of looking for another. Part of it I think is the reluctance to break from name brands that we've used all our lives, so we just automatically grab for those. I've changed a lot of stuff that I buy in the last few years. Shampoo, cereal, eggs, butter, bacon, actually I've changed from buying brand name to store brands a lot. And when they have those 'great sales'? When you check expiration dates, that sale might not be so great after all.............

[Sewmaui]

I was shopping last week when I noticed that some name brans Ice Cream that looks the same as before from the front in the what used to be 1/2 gallons are now reading 1.5 or 1.75 qts.......