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Shrinkflation Tracker

shrinkflation.io

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Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#231

Post by hinkley »

amelius wrote: post #179
shaftoe wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, free markets do lead to better products. But they cost more than the worse products. Look at coffee. The gradual shift from Arabica to more Robusta beans over a generation. Each year, an imperceptible shift was taken that, over decades, lead to coffee that tastes terrible. Opening the door for companies like Starbucks and a ton of gourmet roasters to compete. But properly roasted, single origin coffee costs…

The only thing that Starbucks did for coffee was that children now also love to drink it. In fact their coffee doesn't taste like coffee, but more like mocha/hazelnut ice cream.

I am a bitter taster. It took me years of having chocolate in my coffee to work up to a latte. And even then I tended to adulterate it with hazelnut.

Cold brew is better, but not as much as afficionadoes sold me on. I can still taste the bitters.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#232

Post by hinkley »

Cincinnati2 wrote: post #195
krapp wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neither is "enshittification." Only HN and some tech bloggers even use it as far as I know, and mostly just to be able to imply something is "turning into shit" while pretending to use a precise term of art. But it isn't, it's a poop joke.

I agree with Krapp.

I mean, how can I argue with krapp about shit? I’m out of my depth clearly.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#233

Post by Vicinity9635 »

c0pium wrote: post #206
Vicinity9635 wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And that purchasing power of currencies will go down over time. This is only true when you keep printing more of it. The creation of currency outpacing the creation of value is inflation.

Inflation existed for currencies that were on the gold standard too. There was over a decade of QE which the rainmakers said would totally cause inflation. It didn’t. Then there were supply side shocks which would definitely only cause transitory inflation. Also wrong. Then we learned that sentiment causes it, and in the middle of terrible sentiment inflation went down. Every complex problem has a simple, intuitive,…

>There was over a decade of QE which the rainmakers said would totally cause inflation. It didn’t.

False

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#234

Post by seabass-labrax »

boxed wrote: post #228
seabass-labrax wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would actually be beneficial to the innocent people if it gave them indemnity to prosecution! It's better to be cleared of a suspected crime than never prosecuted, in my opinion*. * assuming the availability of pro bono legal aid as part of social welfare, a key part of any judicial system.

That is a weird take. I'm pretty sure being accused of for example pedophilia can destroy someones life without a conviction.

Thanks for your response. I think it might be a cultural thing; although I've never been charged for anything myself and so have limited understanding of what that might feel like, I would never judge someone negatively for a prosecution of any crime unless they were actually sentenced. Accusations of sex offences might admittedly be less comfortable to have been known for, but if you win your case there is no (legal) way for anyone to destroy your career; the worst I can imagine happening is that family members distance themselves from you - again, a cultural and personal response, not a legal one.

At least where I am (Britain), compensation will be given if the case was deemed to have been opened without sufficient evidence, which keeps the Crown fairly honest about what they prosecute. The police have a slightly less positive record for integrity, but pro bono support is available if you are actually charged. The result of this is that you should never be left financially worse for having been prosecuted if you subsequently win your case.

Finally, you never need to tell anyone that you've been charged. Of course, people can find out if they are keen enough to do so, but I probably pass on the street dozens of people who've been charged and acquitted for crimes, but I would never know and don't need to know.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#235

Post by martin82 »

Nice idea, but that site seems to track only "food" that is basically poisonous to begin with.

If these brands make the portions smaller, they are actually doing us a favour.

After a quick browse, I haven't found anything on that site that actually qualifies as food.

Couldn't care less how prices of these items develop.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#236

Post by IIsi50MHz »

hinkley wrote: post #231
amelius wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing that Starbucks did for coffee was that children now also love to drink it. In fact their coffee doesn't taste like coffee, but more like mocha/hazelnut ice cream.

I am a bitter taster. It took me years of having chocolate in my coffee to work up to a latte. And even then I tended to adulterate it with hazelnut. Cold brew is better, but not as much as afficionadoes sold me on. I can still taste the bitters.

This. And I'll also add that until I was required to try each variation of a certain coffee for a job prior bring it to stores, I was convinced there was no such thing as coffee that's not bitter. All coffee I'd had before tasted like chewing on aspirin[1].

For the job, there were five "espresso style" variants[2]. Although the "black no sugar" was too intense or me, none of them were bitter. I could make them bitter if I left one open too long or by heating one and letting it cool. There are only three variants now, and I miss the the discontinued "black lightly sweet" and "mochachino".

I've since experimented with making cold brew, servedhot or cold, with a little potassium bicarbonate. I've also tried some ready-made cold brews and lighter roasts. Darker roasts taste more burnt to me. Robusto is unsuitable. Arabica is better, especially if it has a good proportion of Kona in it. If it doesn't specifiy how much Kona, assume it's not enough to make a difference. I haven't tried pure Kona, even while in Hawai'i, because price.

[1] This was not planned. I was mistakenly given regular tablets instead of children's chewable…more than once, by different people. Not a recommended experience.

[2] I'm told Italy made them stop calling it that, because of some legal definition of what constitutes espresso.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#237

Post by c0pium »

Vicinity9635 wrote: post #233
c0pium wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Inflation existed for currencies that were on the gold standard too. There was over a decade of QE which the rainmakers said would totally cause inflation. It didn’t. Then there were supply side shocks which would definitely only cause transitory inflation. Also wrong. Then we learned that sentiment causes it, and in the middle of terrible sentiment inflation went down. Every complex problem has a simple, intuitive,…

> There was over a decade of QE which the rainmakers said would totally cause inflation. It didn’t. False

Good point, cogently reasoned and well stated. I especially like all the extraordinary evidence you provided for your claim of inflation from 2008-2019. Thank you for your contribution to the conversation.

Re: Shrinkflation Tracker

#238

Post by c0pium »

prepend wrote: post #223
c0pium wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don’t need to sift through it, though. There’s no prize for catching companies in the act. Figure out which toothpaste you want, decide whether youre willing to spend the money, then buy it or don’t. They do it because otherwise people will complain incessantly about price increases and this way people only complain intermittently about shrinkflation.

The prize is making well informed decisions.

You should read the sentence after the one you replied to.
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