4700 Size Matters

 

Size Matters. But not the way it used to.

 Another piece of evidence that the world is turning either backward or upside down.   Check out the unit price markings on almost anything in the supermarket.   You assume that a bigger box or jar of something costs less per ounce or pound than the same product in a smaller container, right? 

 

Wrong.

 

At least some of the time.

 

One recent tangle in the mayonnaise aisle:   Small size, 13.3 cents an ounce.  Large size, 13.5 cents an ounce.  Not much of a difference.  But still, backward.   

 

Ask about this and they look at you like “what are you talking about?” or “why do you care?”  Or better yet, “Huh?”

 

You can find the same kind of pricing on chicken broth, laundry detergent, toothpaste, peanut butter, and sometimes dairy products and the illustrated but outdated jar of instant coffee.

 

Good thing they don’t do this at the gas station.  Fill up your F-150 at $4.00 a gallon; fill up your Prius at $4.60-per. (An F-150 is a top-selling Ford truck and a Prius is a hybrid Toyota.)

 

Using this same principle, expect the insurance company that gives you a discount if you buy more than one kind of policy, will start charging you more.  Too much paperwork, doncha know.

 

So what’s behind this behind-the-scenes change?  Is it a retail plot to get you to spend more on stuff?  Does it cost more to ship ten pounds of 16-ounce jars than it does to ship ten pounds of eight ounce jars?

 

Maybe a better question is:  Are we seeing a leading indicator of things to come?  Probably.

 

And just take a look at the so-called “clubs.” Walk into one of those pay-to-belong places and try to buy a six pack of beer or toilet paper.  Can’t do that.  

 

You can, however, buy a case of beer or a case of toilet paper.  Great if you drink a lot of beer or... um... use a lot of toilet paper.  But when you check the unit price, you’ll find that a lot of the time you’re paying as much or more at the bulk warehouse pay-in-order-to-pay store than you would at the local supermarket.  You have seen the future.  

 

Meantime compare those unit prices.  They’re going to Hellmann’s in a handcart.

 

SHRAPNEL:

--If you’re an early riser, the smoke alarm invariably shrieks for battery replacement three hours before your alarm sounds. If you are a late riser, the smoke alarm invariably shrieks for battery replacement three hours before your alarm sounds.  How do they know?

 

I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®

Any Questions? wesrichards@gmail.com

© WR 2021