TP Scam!

[Neko-chan]

We usually get two or three packs with the sales. We stack them up by the can so we can keep an eye on the amount. When it gets low, we know.

We've also noticed that yeah, you get less for more now. Hubs will buy Doritos, and it's a totally smaller bag (like super obviously smaller bag) for about a dollar more than the original bag size price. We also noticed this with fruitcake. It went up at least three dollars, and is only the cheapest brand. I guess I'll be adding light fruitcake to my baking repetoire.

 

[RudeKittyLuvsTesla]

I'm sure everyone by now has noticed that most companies are downsizing their products so that they can keep selling them at about the same price. They knock off a couple ounces from the box, make things smaller, put less in the package...

Get this, I've always bought Scott 1000 because I have a septic and because it's more economical than most other TP brands. Usually I'll get the 20 pack at Wally World for $15-and-some-odd-change, but recently I got a 16 pack at RiteAid because I was already there and I had a coupon.

I forget now what I paid for it, but the issue is the RiteAid version of the same tp is 1 cm wider on the roll than the Walmart TP of the same brand, # of sheets is the same per roll. Why on earth would they manufacture it in 2 different widths?

I noticed we were going thru it faster than usual. It's a Walmart conspiracy!
I hate Walmart. Just another good reason to stay out of there.

I rarely want to kiss a complete stranger, but for hating walmart ....... SMOOCH♥ Don't be alarmed if I start stalking you now! no j/k but oh boy I do hate walmart.

 

[RudeKittyLuvsTesla]

I thought I'd add to this thread b/c CBS This Morning (or whatever they call their morning news/talk program) had a segment about this today. They said that Consumer Reports did a study confirming how bad downsizing was getting. The most egregious example listed was Ivory dish detergent: same price, but 20% less product. Worse, they redesigned the bottle to make it actually look bigger.

Peanut butter now has an indent on the bottom of most jars to take space away. One of the oj companies re-designed the bottle too... said for easier pouring

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

We found a way around the sneakyness. Still buy some TP, but its a fraction of what we used to buy.

Not sure what you mean, but it got me laughing at the possible solutions!

Nice soft flannel. I also use them for baby.
They cost next to nothing, and will last a good ten years.
The tp we do buy is used for number 2.

 

[Marianne]

Or use cut up t-shirts instead. Even if the rest of the family doesn't use family cloth, you'll notice a difference with just YOU using it.

It's not the stores (Wal-mart, etc) that are trying to be sneaky. It's the manufacturers, doing everything they can to cut their costs so their profit margin looks better AND so OUR prices stay what we view as 'reasonable' - according to their research depts.

Don't forget, the manufacturers have costs that have been rising - materials, transportation, labor, etc, etc. It costs mucho-thousands of dollars for machinery to be changed for production and packaging, so they don't take these steps lightly. Sure, they can cut the rolls shorter, but then the packaging doesn't fit, etc, etc. There's more to it than what people realize.

If we could buy the same TP from years ago, we'd be paying $10 or more for a 4 pack.

 

[MamiPollo]

I'm with Bubblingbrooks also. I cut up an old flannel sheet that had worn through. Just cut it up with pinking sheers, no hemming. I keep it in a tissue box next to the toilet, then toss it in with the laundry. It's just not the big deal I imagined when I first started thinking about it. The flannel squares are so soft. And it is so nice when shopping to be able to walk past the toilet paper aisle! Freedom from dependence on whatever games the paper company wants to play! I keep some tp on hand for guests.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I'm with Bubblingbrooks also. I cut up an old flannel sheet that had worn through. Just cut it up with pinking sheers, no hemming. I keep it in a tissue box next to the toilet, then toss it in with the laundry. It's just not the big deal I imagined when I first started thinking about it. The flannel squares are so soft. And it is so nice when shopping to be able to walk past the toilet paper aisle! Freedom from dependence on whatever games the paper company wants to play! I keep some tp on hand for guests.

Another idea is to use old towels - cut and hem. Re-use, Recycle, Reduce.