Snickers fights back

[DaisyDay]

Out of curiosity, does the federal law (or state law in any states) require for the companies and sellers to put up not just the per unit price but also state a per kilo (or whatever unit would be the correct one) for the product as well, so that it can be easily compared to others?

The retail grocery stores are required to put in a price per unit. They can be pretty inconsistent though - side by side products will list price per ounce on one and price per pound on the next. Worse is when they just list price per bottle.

 

[wing2000]

Out of curiosity, does the federal law (or state law in any states) require for the companies and sellers to put up not just the per unit price but also state a per kilo (or whatever unit would be the correct one) for the product as well, so that it can be easily compared to others?

Good question. In practice, I see the price per weight (ounces/pound) routinely in our grocery stores....though I can't vouch for candy bars.

 

[RoBo1988]

Out of curiosity, does the federal law (or state law in any states) require for the companies and sellers to put up not just the per unit price but also state a per kilo (or whatever unit would be the correct one) for the product as well, so that it can be easily compared to others?

Every grocer, has the unit price (per oz, lb, etc)

If you want the government to hold your hand even beyond that, I'm sure they'll be happy to accommodate.

 

[RoBo1988]

Sounds like you think thats the natural conclusion from what I said. But I was just invoking some basic market principles.

That said..... I do think the govt should use taxation to reduce demand for certain goods that are actually bads, so to speak. Like cigarettes, for example. I can also see using taxation to recoup funds to deal with negative externalities (like pollution) that the market cant really build into prices.

The problem with that is those in Congress, who either have a product that they are vested in, or have an axe to grind, will get preferential treatment, either to tax, ban, or promote.

 

[durangodawood]

The problem with that is those in Congress, who either have a product that they are vested in, or have an axe to grind, will get preferential treatment, either to tax, ban, or promote.

Thats where accountability is supposed to come in. Various forces have pushed politicians in the opposite direction. I do recall the conservative supreme court rejecting an important law regulating campaign finance. (McCain - Feingold).

 

[7thKeeper]

Good question. In practice, I see the price per weight (ounces/pound) routinely in our grocery stores....though I can't vouch for candy bars.

Ok. I was curious since that's an EU requirement. It makes it easy to spot price increases via smaller bars/portions and makes it easier to compare products of different sizes to see where the biggest bang for buck lies.

 

[Hazelelponi]

They don't make the package smaller, just the contents.

I remember way back in the late 60s, Mad Magazine did a piece on the shrinking contents of candy. I don't know why it made such an impression on me that I still remember it - maybe it was the first time I encountered a consumer expose.

Ice cream is the one I remember most...

Now that you mentioned it though, I remember buying a candy bar once and the package was too big for the amount of candy... I think it was a whatchamacallit or something like that...

 

[Hazelelponi]

Ok. I was curious since that's an EU requirement. It makes it easy to spot price increases via smaller bars/portions and makes it easier to compare products of different sizes to see where the biggest bang for buck lies.

I didn't know that was an EU requirement... I always compare by weight. Here beside the full price they also break it down into price per ounce at the grocery store which can be helpful when doing price comparisons.

 

[Hazelelponi]

The retail grocery stores are required to put in a price per unit. They can be pretty inconsistent though - side by side products will list price per ounce on one and price per pound on the next. Worse is when they just list price per bottle.

It depends on size. Larger items they do price per pound smaller is price per ounce smaller is per unit price.

When you are comparing a smaller item to a larger you just have to do the math in your head if it's a different unit of measure.

I always just pop it off in my head.

 

[7thKeeper]

I didn't know that was an EU requirement... I always compare by weight. Here beside the full price they also break it down into price per ounce at the grocery store which can be helpful when doing price comparisons.

Oh yeah. Here previously, if we take candy bars as an example, stores only displayed the unit price (no matter the size of the bar) and you had to figure out the comparative price yourself. It became an EU requirement that price per kg/l/whatever suitable measurement be displayed as well to make comparisons between products easier.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Oh yeah. Here previously, if we take candy bars as an example, stores only displayed the unit price (no matter the size of the bar) and you had to figure out the comparative price yourself. It became an EU requirement that price per kg/l/whatever suitable measurement be displayed as well to make comparisons between products easier.

We have the display here but I don't know if it's a regulatory requirement or not..

Thanks for the info...

 

[Nithavela]

One problem with the "just check the cost by ounce" argument is that most people neither memorise the prices per ounce of their entire shopping list, no do they check the prices every time they go shopping. And of course the companies don't advertise the size changes. People just buy 7 snickers bars per week, don't see any price increase on their receipt and don't realise why their break got a little less satisfying.

Over here in germany, the most popular margarine brand reduced its portion size from 500 grams to 400 grams. They kept the same container, just put a little less margarine into it and changed the print. That's pretty egregious in my opinion, but I guess the conservative line is that this behaviour is good because it allows companies to fight back against the tyranical regime pushing down on them.

 

[durangodawood]

One problem with the "just check the cost by ounce" argument is that most people neither memorise the prices per ounce of their entire shopping list, no do they check the prices every time they go shopping. And of course the companies don't advertise the size changes. People just buy 7 snickers bars per week, don't see any price increase on their receipt and don't realise why their break got a little less satisfying.

Over here in germany, the most popular margarine brand reduced its portion size from 500 grams to 400 grams. They kept the same container, just put a little less margarine into it and changed the print. That's pretty egregious in my opinion, but I guess the conservative line is that this behaviour is good because it allows companies to fight back against the tyranical regime pushing down on them.

Its not "good". But it should be perfectly legal. Generally no one has any business telling you how much of what to sell, so long as youre clear about it. And posting the product weight is clear enough.

But....I could see a environmental regulatory angle around the issue of waste in packaging.

 

[Nithavela]

Its not "good". But it should be perfectly legal. Generally no one has any business telling you how much of what to sell, so long as youre clear about it. And posting the product weight is clear enough.

But....I could see a environmental regulatory angle around the issue of waste in packaging.

Personally I think that price increases should be noted on price tags of the products for a certain period.

 

[7thKeeper]

Personally I think that price increases should be noted on price tags of the products for a certain period.

Funny that you mention that. Again, EU mandated, it doesn't apply to all products (I remember mainly from electronics), the store is required to post the lowest price for the product in the past 30 days besides the current price, along side the current price.

 

[weekEd]

wealth income distribution has changed since the early 20 10s,
money seems to be flowing downward from the top quintile,
some people are able to afford 2 snickers, and human demographics seems to be drifiting to large frame humans being born...

 

[RoBo1988]

wealth income distribution has changed since the early 20 10s,
money seems to be flowing downward from the top quintile,
some people are able to afford 2 snickers, and human demographics seems to be drifiting to large frame humans being born...

But then some live in a "Snickers desert" where access to Snickers is much more difficult. The president failed to address these concerns.

 

[Nithavela]

Funny that you mention that. Again, EU mandated, it doesn't apply to all products (I remember mainly from electronics), the store is required to post the lowest price for the product in the past 30 days besides the current price, along side the current price.

I do like the way the EU is regulating trade, like the whole usb-plug situation. When you have good standards, you get good results.

 

[weekEd]

But then some live in a "Snickers desert" where access to Snickers is much more difficult. The president failed to address these concerns.

Downward wealth distribution wasn't mentioned in his speech.. sorry