New boxes of Tide have 17 oz less than before, yet consumers are asked to pay the same amount. But is it really an outrage?

Tide customer service says, “By removing non-necessary materials in the manufacturing
process, we improved the solubility and improved the cleaning performance.”

And you know what? They’re right.

Traditionally, American boxes of detergent were the SUVs of the laundry room: large, inefficient and gussied up with marketing gimmickry. In contrast, Europeans have enjoyed smaller, cheaper and more cost-effective cars, er, cleaning agents.

Tide is just removing the unnecessary fillers used to “cut” its cleaning agent to make it look like there was more of it. The recommended fill line on the supplied cup went down as well. The 40 uses in the upper right hand corner still holds true.

So then, if they’re that concerned about efficiency, why is the box the same size?

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.