Very cool. Looks like it could use some more controls to reduce bad data. For example the Dove year 9999 data point.
I would love to see a list of Parent companies. Single brands will be hard to remember.
Shrinkflation Tracker
151–160 of 240 posts
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#152I was just talking today to someone about how they don't like food from a certain global coffee chain anymore because their food has gotten kinda crappy. Shrinkflation generally means same price for less product (grams, fluid ounces), but enshitification by slowly decreasing the quality of the ingredients is also a problem. Do we put that under the shrinkflation umbrella or track it as a separate problem? Since they…
Just one more factor to consider, some ingredients are no longer available. Trans fats are a good example of this. They used to be the prime replacement for saturated fats. Now, in the US, they are effectively banned. This hit oreos. [1] [1] https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2006/01/02/manufacturers-tri...
Fair point. Were oreos always palm oil or were they lard back in the day?
The fracking industry has made guar gum too expensive to use as a food emulsifier. I know someone who reacts to xanthan gum (which has all but replaced guar) and she's not a happy camper, because it's in fucking everything.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#153I was just talking today to someone about how they don't like food from a certain global coffee chain anymore because their food has gotten kinda crappy. Shrinkflation generally means same price for less product (grams, fluid ounces), but enshitification by slowly decreasing the quality of the ingredients is also a problem. Do we put that under the shrinkflation umbrella or track it as a separate problem? Since they…
> but enshitification by slowly decreasing the quality of the ingredients is also a problem.
Every time you see a package with “new and improved recipe” you can bet it only improved their margins by using cheaper ingredients, not the actual taste.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just one more factor to consider, some ingredients are no longer available. Trans fats are a good example of this. They used to be the prime replacement for saturated fats. Now, in the US, they are effectively banned. This hit oreos. [1] [1] https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2006/01/02/manufacturers-tri...
Fair point. Were oreos always palm oil or were they lard back in the day? The fracking industry has made guar gum too expensive to use as a food emulsifier. I know someone who reacts to xanthan gum (which has all but replaced guar) and she's not a happy camper, because it's in fucking everything.
No, they were partially hydrogenated soybean oil back in the day.
Palm oil is thick at room temp, like partially hydrogenated oils are.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#155I don't like that it's sneaky, but I would rather candy servings get smaller rather than prices get higher, if those are the options.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#156In EU prices for food stuff have to also list price per KG.
Here in the US, while unit pricing is commonly displayed, I frequently find that a store will use a wide variety of units, thereby negating the ability to easily compare items in this way. For the same type of product I may see cost per ounce, cost per pound, cost per each, cost per dozen, etc. for various sizes and brands. It's maddening, insulting, and probably in most cases malicious.
Yeah, this is insane e.g. I've seen cents/fl.oz, dollars/litre, cents/ml, dollars/unit. For the same product. And yes, totally malicious. Fresh Thyme does this. It's ugly.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#157Why does it track some irrelevant products? It should track things that matter: milk, bread, meat, fish, fruits and so on.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#158can you automate this with amazon parsing?
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some toothpaste can be a net-negative, like those with abrasives. It's actually the mechanical aspect of brushing that does most of the hygiene. Frothing and minty taste of toothpaste are mostly marketing. Maybe there's a case for fluoride, but there are other sources like tap water (and that's a whole digression of it's own).
> Some toothpaste can be a net-negative, like those with abrasives Yup. Those toothpastes with extra whitening are wreaking havoc. It's effectively liquid sandpaper. > Frothing and minty taste of toothpaste are mostly marketing The frothing, sure. The mint? I mean, I like some kind of flavoring. Mint is nice. > Maybe there's a case for fluoride, but there are other sources like tap water (and that's a whole digressio…
>The mint? I mean, I like some kind of flavoring. Mint is nice.
I’m saying it’s a subjective nice, it’s not adding to the hygienic effect of toothpaste. Its was added to feel clean, not because it actually does any cleaning.
Fluoride works, but the concentration in toothpaste is usually too low to be effective.
Re: Shrinkflation Tracker
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some toothpaste can be a net-negative, like those with abrasives. It's actually the mechanical aspect of brushing that does most of the hygiene. Frothing and minty taste of toothpaste are mostly marketing. Maybe there's a case for fluoride, but there are other sources like tap water (and that's a whole digression of it's own).
Mostly marketing or people actually enjoy these things and they encourage good oral hygiene?
I guess, yes, from a behavioral change standpoint they’re effective, even if they don’t objectively contribute to hygiene themselves.