UK Detergent Boxes Shrinking..Yet again

[zanussi_lover]

Was in ASDA today buying some stuff when I saw a couple with a 22 wash box of Daz in their trolley, I could have sworn it was 25 washes before. I went to the detergent aisle, and was shocked to find the 25 wash box has been replaced with a 22 wash box which was £4. Its a bit rediculous that proctor and gamble are making smaller boxes with less washes in and keeping the price the same.

Im surprised they dont concentrate the powder even more and make it like Ariel Futur/Daz Ultra Boxes in the Mid 1990s.

Id like the see the return of the refill bag of washing powder which disappeared off the shelves around 2001. It would be more practical if the plastic bag the washing powder was in was recyclable, would be better than throwing a cardboard box away every time.

 

[jmurray01]

It is indeed ridiculous, but what can we do ? Sadly, nothing.

 

[tolivac]

I think eventually P&G and other product makers will realize this "downsizing" is angering customers--maybe they will see the light and just make the 25 load size and make the price higher-don't think customers would mind that as much.I would be willing to pay a higher price for the "old" size package.Its the same with food items.the "downsizing" is just going to far.

 

[launderess]

We've Been Down This Path Before, And I've Told Ya

P&G and every other consumer product maker everywhere in the world has crunched the numbers and determined a majority of customers either don't care or notice "downsized" packets versus various price increases.

Raw material and other prices for consumer goods continues to increase but by and large prices haven't gone up at all in many countries. This one of the reasons for the small if any increase in inflation for many Western economies.

It is like flying on an air plane today, sure airlines *could* go back to seats with more leg room and or stop charging for everything but the air on flights, but ticket prices would vastly rise. Those not willing to pay such increases are willing to put up with the treatment in order to enjoy "cheap" airfare and thus being allowed to get where they want for fun or business.

 

[zanussi_lover]

Its strange though

If we go back to 2003/04, P&G Brands in the UK, Ariel, Bold, Daz, Fairy Non Biological, had 15, 45 and 75 wash boxes. However this wasn't based on Medium water hardness for normally soiled clothes.

Then in 2008, the boxes shrank from 15 washes to 10 washes, from 45 washes to 30 washes, and 75 washes to 50 washes.

since 2010, the medium and large boxes have shrunk again from 30 = 28 = 25 = 22
and we've had the 50 wash boxes go to 45 to 42 to 38 washes.

People Buy bigger packs for better value, but its not good when you want good value for money and you notice the pack you usually buy has half the number of washes in the new pack.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Over here is a complete craze as there seems to be varying box sizes according to a special offer!

Refill bags are widely available in 18 and 27 loads sachets plus sometimes you see bigger sizes like 35 but as I said, seldom happens.

Box are totally crazy! Last time I went detergent shopping it happened that I toured supermarkets and the same Dixan Classico by Henkel was in box of 40, 48, 50, 52, 80 washes and each supermarket had a different offer with a different price!
I got the 50 loads for 7,99€ down from 16. The day after I saw the 80 loads for 8,99!!!

Anyway, same goes for liquids, all the dishwashing liquids went from 1,5 litres to 1,25 or 1,15! And spray detergents or degreasers that were 1 litre went to 0,75 and those that were 0,75 went to 0,625!
Even jam and marmalade shrunk! From 400g to 360 or 340! :O Luckly I make my own with real sugar and not crap inverted corn syrup or similar!

 

[aquacycle]

would be better than throwing a cardboard box away every tim

Why don't you just throw the cardboard box in the recycling bin? Cardboard is way more biodegradable than plastic, surely it's more environmentally friendly to use recyclable or biodegradable cardboard than using plastic which will sit in a landfil for years?

On a slightly different note, I won't go near P&G products after the animal testing scandal a few years back. I stick with unilever who fund research into alternatives for animal testing. All my laundry products are Persil, Comfort or Almat and all my bathroom products (aside from toilet roll and toothpaste) are from Lush.

 

[tolivac]

Seat "pitch" on passenger planes-some airlines are going back to the longer seat pitch-longer legroom-from passenger complaints.esp for long haul flights.They also figue making it more comfortable will "get more butts in the chairs" than before.Seat pitch is a factor in all mass transit vehicles-wether planes to buses.Transport companies are now starting to think of passenger comfort-making for the longer chair pitches.Some transport companies are sacrificing a few seats to try to improve comfort-on the lines of attracting riders.

 

[jamiel]

That's the point...they want to make different sizes for each retailer to avoid price comparisons and to allow the retailer to complete his selection with the right price point. Compare the package sizes you see in a:
--dollar "only a dollar" store
--dollar store (Family Dollar/Dollar General)
--traditional supermarket
--chain drugstore (CVS/Walgreens/RiteAid)
--big box (Target/KMart/WalMart)
--warehouse club (Costco/Sams)

The days of regular/giant/king/family laundry size (remember--20 oz/49 oz/5 lb 4 oz/9 lb 13 ozs) in every store are gone, gone, gone.

 

[marthalover4eve]

pepsi

and pepsi can have shrunk in size

 

[liberatordeluxe]

@ Aquacycle i haven't bought Procter and Gamble products for years and think Persil/Surf are way better products anyway. Modern Ariel is rubbish compared to Persil. And i use Lush too! Nice to know there are other eithically sound people out there!