Why are diapers so expensive? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#471

Post by balls187 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:57 PM UTC

esaym wrote: post #451

I always take it personally when people complain about diaper costs. The fact is 30 years ago, most kids were out of diapers by the age of 2 [0] and nothing is stopping you from using reusable products just like people had to do 30 years ago. The shear unpleasantness of non-disposable diapers is what pushed people to start training their kids at age one. But now the "convenience" of throw away diapers leads modern pa…

> I always take it personally when people complain about diaper costs.

Why? How does this impact you in the slightest?

Being a parent is hard enough of a job already without randos on the internet being judgemental.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#472

Post by chrissnell » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:01 PM UTC

avar wrote: post #418

chrissnell wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're quoting prices for a diaper service--one that comes to your house and picks up the dirty diapers, launders them, and gives you clean, folded diapers in exchange. This is a rich person's service. My parents didn't use a diaper service in the 1970s, they washed them in the washing machine like virtually everyone else. So, in today's money, those $0.01-0.02 cloth diapers would be about $0.10-0.25 in 2018 money ea…

I mistakenly over-quoted the paragraph and included the sentence about diaper services, but the prices I was discussing were the retail prices quoted before that. But yes, I'm willing to believe that cloth diapers were cheaper, and still are cheaper. But that's a digression from the main topic at hand, which is the question of whether or not disposable diapers are cheaper than in the 50s when adjusted for inflation.

Honestly, I have no idea. My parents were struggling when I was born, but they were also living in the hippy-dippy 1970s when a "natural" choice like cloth diapering was the favored option. Either way, the diapers were cheap and they worked well--I potty-trained very early.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#473

Post by balls187 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:01 PM UTC

pnathan wrote: post #458

They are expensive because they haven't hit the price points which induce demand pressure downward. That said, the thread holding this narrative together is the terrible welfare system in the United States. I see absolutely zero reason why the 0-3 y/o in poverty shouldn't qualify for free diapers from the local welfare offices, no questions asked. n.b., cloth diapers are a fair bit of work, and a substantial investme…

> I see absolutely zero reason why the 0-3 y/o in poverty shouldn't qualify for free diapers from the local welfare offices

I'll give you one reason: a large chunk of the voting population/tax base doesn't want to pay for it.

> no questions asked.

I understand your sentiment, but as soon as that sort of policy is implemented, unscrupulous individuals will abuse the system.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#474

Post by fokinsean » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:02 PM UTC

LitFan wrote: post #364

zik wrote: post #7

I feel like this article was an extended ad for Huggies. Particularly with the happy ending being "Tonight, she was bringing home Huggies".

You're absolutely right. There was only one mention of cloth diapers anywhere in here, and it was quickly dismissed by "they are difficult to clean without a machine". Nothing about how cost effective they can be, and then we go right back to learning about how huggies are better than generics.

Yup the South Park episode "Truth and Advertising" is become more and more true.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_and_Advertising

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#475

Post by Robotbeat » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:04 PM UTC

mattbee wrote: post #42

djrogers wrote: post #28

There are a couple of ‘facts’ listed here that don’t line up with my current reality and very recent knowledge (3 kids, most recent is 18mo). First off, 12 changes a day is a huge outlier - even for a newborn. 8 would be a more reasonable number, and it drops down to the 4-6 range in the first year, and by now we’re at 3 if we don’t go swimming. Second item that sounds waaay off is $1000/yr for diapers. Again, that h…

I think you missed the part of the article where they talked about never having enough cash to buy in bulk, instead buying at 2 or 3x the unit cost in 5s and 10s from the corner shop.

I do not blame stressed people (single mother most of all!) from making decisions based on lack of time.

However, it really IS helpful to make a larger purchase. You can think of convenience-purchase-pricing of things you use regularly at home like loan-sharking at exorbitant rates. It hits those least capable of affording it.

The flip side is you get a huge benefit from scrounging for the money/time to get the bulk package. It's like an small investment that returns 200%.

My wife makes fun of me, but I often buy a large amount/quantity of a few items at the grocery store, i.e. ones that we already use regularly, that I know the usual price of, so I know when a "sale price" (or bulk price) is actually a good deal. This only really works well for things that are shelf-stable, of course.

Diapers are definitely one of the things you should try to buy in large packages when the prices are low. It genuinely is hard for a single mother to do this, but there's a significant payback in both money AND time.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#476

Post by pnathan » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:04 PM UTC

balls187 wrote: post #473

pnathan wrote: post #458

They are expensive because they haven't hit the price points which induce demand pressure downward. That said, the thread holding this narrative together is the terrible welfare system in the United States. I see absolutely zero reason why the 0-3 y/o in poverty shouldn't qualify for free diapers from the local welfare offices, no questions asked. n.b., cloth diapers are a fair bit of work, and a substantial investme…

> I see absolutely zero reason why the 0-3 y/o in poverty shouldn't qualify for free diapers from the local welfare offices I'll give you one reason: a large chunk of the voting population/tax base doesn't want to pay for it. > no questions asked. I understand your sentiment, but as soon as that sort of policy is implemented, unscrupulous individuals will abuse the system.

> unscrupulous individuals will abuse the system.

Welfare fraud isn't that prevalent, and adequate checks on gratuitous abuse are not exactly difficult to implement.

For the people who would rather see newborns have health issues than pay taxes, I frankly find their morals odious and their foresight lacking.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#477

Post by ajlai » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:07 PM UTC

I don't understand the argument that generic diapers "don't last as long." Every diaper lasts until it's soiled; it's not like the generic brands absorb one poop but you keep the "better quality" diapers around for three poops, as though they were paper towels. The only reason I can think of that they wouldn't "last as long" is if you have defective diapers that you have to toss before using (only happened to me once or twice in 2+ years of using Target/Walmart brand diapers, hardly significant). There are other reasons to buy more expensive brands (fewer blowouts, less diaper rash, odor containment, sensitivity to materials, who knows depending on the baby) but I don't see why usage volume is one of them.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#478

Post by eco » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:11 PM UTC

djrogers wrote: post #28

There are a couple of ‘facts’ listed here that don’t line up with my current reality and very recent knowledge (3 kids, most recent is 18mo). First off, 12 changes a day is a huge outlier - even for a newborn. 8 would be a more reasonable number, and it drops down to the 4-6 range in the first year, and by now we’re at 3 if we don’t go swimming. Second item that sounds waaay off is $1000/yr for diapers. Again, that h…

I have a 10 week old and we've kept meticulous logs of diaper changes[1] (and everything else). We get 12 diaper change days a couple times per week. 9 is more typical. $1000/yr is pretty high but not unbelievable. A lot of grocery stores and small shops don't sell diapers in cost saving bulk packages so it really just depends on where you live and your access to more economical options.

1. https://i.imgur.com/IAFAu18.png

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#479

Post by sean_anandale » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:21 PM UTC

eli wrote: post #344

nostrademons wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just had a kid 2 months ago, and 12 changes a day doesn't seem all that unreasonable for a newborn. At our one-month checkup he was averaging 9 pees & 5 poops per day - several of the poops were doubled-up where he also peed, so a dozen per day is about right. It's dropped a bit since, but instances where a single changing results in multiple diapers used (eg. he shits the table right as I'm getting the new diaper…

Not everyone has the ability to buy in bulk. They are considerably more expensive buying them 12 at a time at a corner store.

Not everyone exhibits basic competency and planning ability, but that doesn't magically make other people responsible for setting up surrogates for them.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#480

Post by giarc » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 5:21 PM UTC

ajlai wrote: post #477

I don't understand the argument that generic diapers "don't last as long." Every diaper lasts until it's soiled; it's not like the generic brands absorb one poop but you keep the "better quality" diapers around for three poops, as though they were paper towels. The only reason I can think of that they wouldn't "last as long" is if you have defective diapers that you have to toss before using (only happened to me once…

>Every diaper lasts until it's soiled;

But some diapers can handle multiple pee's before they need changing. It's not just about the poops.