Consumerist reader Joshua popped into his local Walmart the other morning to get his beef jerky fix, only to find that his snack of choice been hit with the Grocery Shrink Ray. Making matters worse, someone had tried to disguise that fact with a blast from the Label Hyperbole Laser. [More]
grocery shrink ray
Dial Hand Soap Bottle Grows Slightly Taller To Disguise Shrink Ray Attack
By 9.30.10
Todd reports that while the new Dial hand soap bottle has a sleek new design that is slightly taller and adds more sexy curves, it’s all a facade to distract us from how the product has been Shrink Rayed. The old bottle was 11.25 ounces, and the new is 9.375. Todd writes, “But perhaps the most audacious part of it is the fact that they shrunk the bottle, redesigned the shape and label ever so slightly, and slapped a “NEW!” label on it, thinking we would never notice.” [More]
3 New Victims Of The Grocery Shrink Ray: Cookie Crisp, Oreos, And Finish Detergent
By 9.8.10
What do Cookie Crisp cereal, Double Stuf Oreos, and Finish dish detergent have in common? None of them are particularly good for you if you eat them, even if the first two are delicious in moderation. Yet all three were recently hit by the Grocery Shrink Ray, making each Finish tablet a tiny bit smaller, reducing the amount of cereal in the box by more than 20%, and giving consumers four fewer Double Stuf Oreos in a package. When will the indignities end? [More]
BJ's Sold Me 32 Oz. Drink In 30 Oz. Cup
By 7.19.10
Looks like the shrink ray has hit the fountain sodas at Consumerist reader Quake’s local BJ’s Wholesale Club, reducing the normal 32 oz. cup to 30 ounces. Only problem is — no one told the customers or whoever is responsible for the sign that still says “32 ounces.” [More]
Shrink Ray Hits JCPenney Clothing Now, Too?
By 7.19.10
Kyle just wrote to us that the 36″ sleeve on a Large Tall sweatshirt from JCPenney has been reduced to 35″. It’s not just a manufacturing accident, because the new length is printed in the retailer’s sizing charts. But Kyle says for years he’s had no problem with JCPenney shirts, and that this all started happening within the past year or so. [More]
Grocery "Embiggen" Ray Hits Safeway Ice Cream
By 6.28.10
It seems the Grocery Embiggen Ray, the antithesis of the Grocery Shrink Ray, has struck Safeway Select ice cream and they’re offering up a whole two quarts, just like ice cream makers used to all do back in the old timey days. [More]
Grocery Same Size Ray Keeps Shaving Cream Same Size, Lies About It
By 6.24.10
We’ve extensively documented the use of the Grocery Shrink Ray to fool humans’ puny brains into thinking that familiar products are the same size they’ve always been. But Jim has discovered something even more devious: the Same Size Ray, which has a similar but more nefarious effect on consumer products. It emblazons packaging with the exciting news that a product is now bigger: but it’s all a cruel lie. Maybe. [More]
Grocery Shrink Ray: New Tropicana Pseudo Half Gallon Jugs Spotted In The Wild
By 6.2.10
We told you that freezing in Florida was going to take a toll on OJ starting in May and according to MousePrint.org, the shrink ray is on. Edgar got a hold of some before and after examples and did the usual postmortem. [More]
5 Ways Grocery Stores Rip You Off
By 5.14.10
LiveCheap uncovers ways in which grocery stores make you pay more for less with subtle techniques you may not easily notice. It seems supermarkets can get mighty sketchy when it comes to arranging its meat section. [More]
Beer Shrink Ray Takes Away .8 Ounces Of Precious Red Stripe
By 3.24.10
Bad news if you like to sip a Red Stripe beer while snacking on Wheatables. Exported bottles of Red Stripe have been zapped by the Grocery Shrink Ray, shrinking from 12 fluid ounces to 11.2. [More]
Wheatables' "New Look" Features .5 OZ Less To Look At
By 3.23.10
Yes, it’s grocery shrink ray time. Behold Keebler’s Wheatables Toasted Honey Wheat crackers. The new look is pleasing and the package promises the same great taste… too bad there’s less of it. [More]
Banquet Spaghetti Meatballs Box Vs Reality
By 3.2.10
On the left is a box of Banquet brand frozen spaghetti and meatballs. On the right is what is inside. Disappointed at the lack of visible meatballs, reader reader Sonia snapped the photos and sent them in. On the one hand, that’s what you get for eating $1.00 Walmart frozen pasta and meatballs. On the other, well, couldn’t they have left at least one in? [More]
Grocery Shrink Ray Zaps Ziploc
By 2.1.10
Catastrophegirl says Ziploc has made its bags thinner, smaller and generally less useful in an apparent attempt to cut down on materials costs. She’s concerned that the flimsier bags may not be able to handle her sandwiches as well as the old ones. She writes: [More]
Protein Shrink Ray Hits South Beach Cereal Bars
By 1.25.10
Some of Kraft’s South Beach Living cereal bars have been reformulated, and the new label boasts that, in addition to a “new lower price,” the bars have “twice the protein of the leading cereal bars.” That might be true, given that most cereal bars are made up of little more than corn, rice, corn syrup, rice and corn. But the new bars actually have 20% less protein than the previous versions.
Shrink Ray Renders Mini Coke Cans Even More Mini
By 12.30.09
Sure, you can call Coke’s new 7.5-ounce mini can an exciting new marketing ploy, giving customers a nice, even, guilt-free 90-calorie gulp of soda. But reader Josh sees the change for what it is: a fancied-up version of the Grocery Shrink Ray. And not even his wife can convince him to buy them anymore. [More]
9 Shrink-Rayed Products To Mourn
By 12.3.09
LiveCheap has scoured the grocery aisles to discover 9 products that have been reduced by the ubiquitous grocery shrink ray. [More]
Cracker Barrel Maple Syrup Struck By Shrink Ray And Sugar Ray
By 11.22.09 — Updated: 4.12.13
Reader Kimaroo noticed that something was amiss with the with the single-serve bottle of maple syrup she receives with her French toast at Cracker Barrel. Not only did it seem smaller, she could have sworn that the bottle used to contain 100% maple syrup instead of “100% Pure Natural Syrup.” Fortunately, she had another bottle from a different Cracker Barrel visit stashed at home, and was able to compare the ingredients. Indeed, her maple syrup had been hit by the Grocery Sugar Ray: nearly half of its mapley goodness has been replaced with cane syrup.
Pet Store Takes Advantage Of Grocery Shrink Ray
By 11.16.09
Dan sent in this pic from a local pet store. It reads, “After January 1st, bag sizes will be decreased, and these new prices will stay the same. For the rest of 2009 you will save 12.5% on all big bags of Science Diet dog food!!” I like how they’re spinning the reduced packaging in a way that benefits them and the customer, while also making sure nobody is fooled come January 1st.
