Shrinking packages, pricier foods fluster parents

[UpInArms]

Source: Associated Press

MILWAUKEE - Kids may be worried about homework, teachers and that pesky bully this school year. But parents? They're leery about lunches.

With food prices rising and packages shrinking, parents are wondering how they'll stretch their food budgets. Children are going to get an unwitting lesson in economics, analysts say, as parents change their food-buying habits to keep costs down.

<snip>

Some companies are also shrinking products or getting rid of certain lines to lower their costs. Skippy peanut butter, made by Unilever, now sells in 16.3 ounce jars that look the same size as the previous 18 ounce jars because of a larger indentation at the bottom. Kraft is reducing the number and in some cases the size, of items in its Deli Selects cheese line, for example. Sara Lee has reduced the size of some of its Hillshire Farm deli meat packages from 10 ounces to 9 ounces. The prices, for the most part, don't go down.

<snip>

The cost of food is soaring. In the U.S., retail food prices rose an average of 6 percent this year. That's three times the normal inflation rate. Prices are rising because companies are paying more for key ingredients, due to increased demand around the world, the weak U.S. dollar and weather that destroyed crops.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080901/ap_on_bi_ge/lunchtime_economics

[Graybeard]

1. Turn the boxes of cereal sideways. LOL

They look the same on the shelf but are skinny "sliver" boxes with less cereal. And has anybody seen a pound of coffee lately? Same can but 11.5 oz.

[IndyOp]

2. This is an important parenting issue. K&R (n/t)

[Snarkoleptic]

3. Remember the good old days when ice cream came in half-gallons?

Now all I can find are 1.5quart containers and the price has remained the same.
Whenever I speak with a repug about taxes, I'm quick to point out the GWB-inflation hidden tax.

[Quantess]

4. Yet we still manage to get fatter every year. (n/t)

[UpInArms]

5. along with monsanto adm and conagra profits

n/t

[Quantess]

9. True! Touche.

Also, recess is being cut from schools, so that there's adequate time for teaching-to-the-test (NCLB), and less opportunity to run around.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. "In the U.S., retail food prices rose an average of 6 percent this year.

That's three times the normal inflation rate."

If the inflation rate is 2%, then I'm the Pope.

[sarcasmo]

7. If my packaged shrank, I would be flustered too.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. They've been doing this for years...

It makes me sick. K&R

[kath]

10. 6 percent, my ass!

The things I buy are all up 15 -20%. Or more.