We’re all aware that product downsizing, or shrinkage, takes place all the time. When costs of producing products rise, brands can either raise the price on the item, or reduce the ounces of a product and keep the price about the same. More often than not, we know what happens — products just keep getting smaller.
Reader CouponSpaz sent over some interesting photos of Dawn dish detergents from his stockpile. He was cleaning out his stockpile and found these bottles of Dawn purchased over several years:
These three bottles of Dawn progressively get smaller: 14 ounces to 10.3 ounces to the 9-ouncers that are currently the smallest Dawn detergents available in stores. Interesting, isn’t it?
He sent over another funny photo of detergents, this time of Dawn and Gain:
Both of these detergents appear to be in the same size bottles. The Dawn label notes that it contains 10.3 ounces, while the Gain (again, in what appears to be the same bottle) has 11 ounces. My reader can’t tell where the other .07 ounces is (or went!) and neither can I…
addicted says
I noticed a similar thing when I recently purchase 2 boxes of Raisin Bran. One box was original Raisin Bran, the other box was Raisin Bran with Cranberries. Both boxes were the exact same size, but were different weights! I didn’t notice the difference until I was at home and needed a box for a recipe. So deceiving! (I have a photo of it, but am not sure how to post the photo, or send it to you, Jill)
Southernreverie says
For packages containing liquid, there is usually an indentation on the bottom so that the container appears to have the same amount as before. If that’s not the case here, I can only guess that the lesser weight one is watered down.
As boxed items decrease in weight, e.g. cereal, they seem to be the same height and width, but the depth of the container decreases.
The thing that frustrates me is that the government keeps saying there is no inflation, but they are not taking into account the decreasing sizes.
Judy says
Has anyone noticed the Van Kamp Pork & Beans? They now look like a bean soup. I wish they would just raise the price and stop cutting back on the product in the can, box or bottles. Don’t they know or care that when they do this, it causes problems when using their products in our recipes? I have tried Jills cake several times and it works great. Thank you Jill.
Southernreverie says
Judy, I have noticed the increased liquid in canned beans. For recipes that I used to just dump in a can of beans, I now have to drain before adding them.
Judy says
Sorry. That sentence should have said, “I have tried Jills Cake upsizer several times and it works great
Albert says
Last week, I noticed that the Dawn bottles changed again. Now, they’re only 8 oz. I’m buying the old bottles on sale while I still can.
Coupon Maven says
I need to get a post up about this — thanks. A couple of my readers noticed the same thing a week or two ago..!
John McCoy says
Guess what! It’s now July 2019. I went to Walmart today and one of my purchases was DAWN detergent. To my everlasting irritation, the Dawn detergent bottle is now down to 7 ounces. SEVEN!!! One of these days we’ll be purchasing EMPTY BOTTLES. GRRRRRR!
😡👎
Coupon Maven says
I was afraid this was happening soon, because the CVS & Walgreens ads have been listing Dawn as a 7-ounce bottle for over a month now. :( Palmolive’s small bottles are still 10 ounces, so if they go on the same kinds of .99 sales, they will be a better buy.
Last year, I bought a bunch of Lemishine liquid dish detergent (because it was dirt cheap at Meijer – .29 for a 22-ounce bottles.) I have to say, I really like it. Dawn playing downsizing games is going to get people to try out different detergent options, I think…
Bess says
Update for you: I was at a CVS store earlier to pick up 4 bottles of blue Dawn (Ultra). As I looked at the different varieties, I noticed the 2 blue (Ultra and Platinum) contained less than the 2 green (antibacterial and botanicals). They’re all the same bottles and all 7 oz but the green varieties contained more than the blues.