var json_comments = new Array("
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bellecat
October 15, 2009 4:13 PM
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I wonder how much time and effort is spent by the store employees trying to rework the shelving layout so stuff doesn't look smaller than it used to be.

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2 replies
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jivesukka
October 15, 2009 4:17 PM
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@bellecat: It is a huge waste of time. At Target we have someone whose job it is to rearrange product and shelving, sometimes to do the Grocery Shrink Ray.

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parad0x360
October 15, 2009 7:07 PM
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@jivesukka: Yes, I lead the team of brave souls who does that in the Target I work at. Its quite a pain in the ass to be honest.

You might have say...1 product changing sizes. If the product gets taller you have to change all the shelves which depending on whats in the aisle could take hours because everything has to come down and then be cleaned and put back up.

Last year was the worst ever because products in every area of the store were changing so damn often it was insane.

The worst part is the customers. Not cause I hate customers but because they get really upset with us when we clear an aisle of product to update it. More often than not its not even Targets fault, its because all the new packages are always so different we need to start from scratch. So we piss off the people shopping and in turn they yell at us and tell us we are dumb for moving things around. Makes for a fun day!

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mockingbird
October 16, 2009 5:02 AM
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@parad0x360: They've been doing massive product moves at most of the LA area Targets recently to make room for more food, and I really feel for the employees. Even they don't know where things are anymore. I wandered for like half an hour trying to find garbage bags one day, because they weren't where they used to be or even over with the stuff from their old aisle in its new location. An employee had to get on the walkie to finally track them down for me.

I've worked retail, and spent many a night doing floor moves at The Gap and such, but I could not handling stocking at Target. There's just too much, and my OCD tendencies would have me hauling out the ruler to straighten rows on shelves. I salute you, but I also hope you'll stop moving stuff around soon. My routine of circling the Target clockwise to be reminded of anything I forgot on my list has been completely thrown off by all the floor moves.

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summerbee
October 15, 2009 4:15 PM
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I always try to calculate the cost per square foot based on the fine print that's on the bottom of the package. But, uh, am I the only one who brings a calculator to the grocery store?

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14 replies
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ludwigk
October 15, 2009 6:14 PM
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@summerbee: My calculation is based on linear feet, and I do it in my head to come up with a cost per length analysis.

This would upset me if it was a brand that I took into consideration, because it would invalidate my assumption of similar utility among brands (the reduced width is clearly detrimental to some applications of toilet paper use).

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Razor512
October 15, 2009 6:12 PM
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@summerbee: I use my pocket pc, and I am currently working on writing a java script program that does the work for you in which you enter in the what your measuring in and then you enter in the square footage or weight in grams or ounces or kg, then you enter in the price and it tells you the true cost under the entry fields as text so it can be stacked which makes it easier to compare the true cost. but am currently having problems getting it to work right. it would be great if someone knew if anyone else made something like this.

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katia802
October 15, 2009 5:46 PM
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@summerbee: I do too, has come in very handy teaching dear Hubby and Son how to find the truly lowest cost items

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dragonfire81
October 15, 2009 5:29 PM
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Is it really the fault of the company for not coming out and saying they packaging is smaller? Can you think of a single example where a company has said \"we're going to make the product smaller but still charge the same price.\"

This kind of stuff just isn't publicized.

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The Black Bird
October 15, 2009 6:02 PM
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@dragonfire81: Are you saying that because every company does it, it's alright?

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bohemian
October 15, 2009 4:40 PM
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@summerbee: Calculator on my cell phone is required to buy anything in the drugstore department, grocery or home cleaning section at Target.

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katstermonster
October 15, 2009 4:51 PM
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@bohemian: A lot of times they have a unit price listed, too...I check that when I'm feeling lazy, although some stuff doesn't have it. Tricky.

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SugarMag
October 15, 2009 4:30 PM
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@summerbee:


Since cell phones have calcs now, I'm never w/o one!


(I like doing it my head though - it's fun!)

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Applekid
October 15, 2009 4:26 PM
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@summerbee: I don't go anywhere without my TI-86. But more for using the IR to change TV channels, turn off closed circuit tvs, blind cameras, and otherwise be a jerk in stores.

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Michael Belisle
October 15, 2009 4:26 PM
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@summerbee: I shop at stores that include that information on the signage.

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Skipweasel
October 15, 2009 7:40 PM
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@Michael Belisle: Don't know about the US, but Asda (Walmart's UK store) often get it wrong on the shelf-edge \"price per\" strip. Often laughably wrong.

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nbs2
October 15, 2009 4:34 PM
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@Michael Belisle: Your stores display cost per sq.ft? Those in my area do per roll and per 100 sheets.

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Thumbmaster
October 17, 2009 4:47 PM
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@nbs2: You're correct. And that's a useless comparison when the sheets are different sizes. It's like when Klondikes started marketing smaller bars in a 12pk and the supermarkets make it look like a good deal (per bar) vs the old full-size bars in 8pks.

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Michael Belisle
October 15, 2009 5:50 PM
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@nbs2: Good question. I buy toilet paper once per year, so I can't answer. I do know that I buy based on a balance of value and performance.

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Citizen Kang
October 15, 2009 7:59 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Michael Belisle:

My gosh, you must be backed up! A little fiber would go a long way in helping you out.

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yasth
October 15, 2009 4:21 PM
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@summerbee: No the rest of use our cellphones.

Actually I just do it in my head.

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summerbee
October 15, 2009 4:45 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@yasth: See, I'm smart-phoneless & doing math on my phone is painful. I usually a fan of the price-per-unit label on the shelf tags, but I've found instances where it's been wrong.

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TCama
October 15, 2009 4:18 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Damn, that's 15.3% less paper.

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1 replies
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katsuyakaiba
October 15, 2009 11:04 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@TCama:
Don't you watch the commercials? LESS IS MORE!

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prag
October 15, 2009 4:22 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Ack! At a time when American's asses are getting bigger this is doubly troubling!

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3 replies
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super
October 15, 2009 6:11 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@prag: Possibly so but great way to increase profit.

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bloggerX
October 15, 2009 4:26 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@prag: They must have never seen \"Supersize Me\"!

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vastrightwing
October 15, 2009 4:22 PM
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Advil puts a small bottle of Gel caps in a HUGE box. Sure, the package says what's inside, so why make the box 25% larger than necessary? Oh, is it to deceive consumers? Oh, let me guess, the old bottle boxing equipment just hasn't been re-tooled. Oh, that's better. So you're wasting trees because you're too lazy to retool the boxing equipment. Got it!

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2 replies
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Sian
October 16, 2009 10:41 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@vastrightwing: That's just to make it harder to shoplift.

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bohemian
October 15, 2009 4:44 PM
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@vastrightwing: I picked up a bag of chips at the store. Same size, still inflated with air but 2oz fewer chips inside. There was maybe 1/3 of the bag with chips, most of them pulverized chip pieces.
Gotta love quality!

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AllanG54
October 15, 2009 4:23 PM
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Maybe they shrunk it because there are fewer assholes in the world. Or just less s__t. There could be a method to their madness.

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2 replies
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TCinIowa
October 15, 2009 4:47 PM
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@AllanG54:


Any observer would tell you if TP were sized-adjusted for the number of assholes in the world and the amount of $h!t then a single roll would be the size of an oil drum by now.

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nybiker
October 15, 2009 4:25 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

You think that's bad. The folks at Scott Tissue still scream \"1000 sheets\" on their package, but as \"sheets\" is not a standard value like gallon, they can play fast and loose with the size of each sheet. A couple of years ago they did the sneaky thing and shrunk the length of a sheet, so you don't notice it as much as you would if they had shrunk the width. The height (width) is still the 4.5 inches, but the length went from 4.0 inches to 3.7 inches.

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nstonep
October 15, 2009 4:26 PM
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The soft stuff clogs the low flush toilet! I keep having to remind myself.

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EBounding
October 15, 2009 4:32 PM
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I sure as heck noticed this! >:(

I was hoping for a post like this to assure I wasn't going crazy.

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2 replies
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floraposte
October 15, 2009 6:10 PM
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@EBounding: Me too. I usually buy the multi-ply or whatever and this time didn't, and I thought perhaps that was the cause of the difference. But no.

It will probably cause me to change brands; I'm a creature of habit rather than a loyalist, and it's foolish for me to spend the same money on less product.

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Thumbmaster
October 17, 2009 4:50 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@floraposte: Same here. We've been loyal Northern customers for years. They struck a great balance between price and quality. But this spiel will definitely make us look at other brands. We've started going back to Charmin (with coupons, of course). Also, don't the people there in charge use their own products? Or do they secretly stash away a warehouse full of the old stuff for their own consumption?

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wjamny
October 15, 2009 4:41 PM
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Dammit - I wasn't crazy, I just didn't have the older larger size to compare it too. I doubt this is big enough to get any points from the wife, but sometimes even a small victory is important. (see honey I was right - next time don't question my sizing skills) ;o)~

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2 replies
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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh
October 15, 2009 4:59 PM
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@wjamny: Aren't you guys always saying that size doesn't matter?

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MostlyHarmless
October 15, 2009 5:27 PM
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@Kimaroo - No Stars Upon Thars: Depends. Are you talking about the boobs or the tubes?

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh
October 15, 2009 5:37 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: I'm not sure. Something about motion in the ocean?

Sounds like a sham if you ask me.

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balilanai
October 15, 2009 4:44 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

ALWAYS buy store brand for TP. Everything else is a rip off. Buy the 1000 sheet roll. Lasts a long time and works great. You'll save about $200 every year.

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8 replies
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dvdchris
October 16, 2009 5:04 AM
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@balilanai:I spend about $13 a year on toilet paper. I could buy 15 years of tp for $200. I cannot fathom someone being able to SAVE $200 yearly on tp.

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Garbanzo
October 15, 2009 9:00 PM
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@balilanai: $200 per year??? I buy a big pack of (name brand) rolls for something around $10 and it lasts our 2-person household a few months. How much toilet paper are you using to save more than 50 cents a day by going for the cheap stuff?

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Aquasol
October 15, 2009 8:14 PM
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@balilanai: In the battle between saving money and bleeding out of my ass, I can always live on ramen. It's a little harder to deal with the ass blood.

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Thricebanned
October 16, 2009 12:30 AM
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@Aquasol: The ass blood will be coming soon enough for all of us. No need to hasten it.

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mookiemookie
October 15, 2009 6:09 PM
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@balilanai: There are some things that I would rather not skimp on. Nice TP is one of them.

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subtlefrog
October 16, 2009 1:13 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@mookiemookie: @Aquasol: Thirded. If the store brand is soft, fine. But some of them have chunks of bark in them that make them look like they've already been used. And feel like you're scraping with sand paper. No thanks.

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shepd
October 15, 2009 5:34 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@balilanai:

$200 a year? Pretty sure you can buy a bidet for less than that!

(Next post: Use a watering jug)

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lotussix
October 15, 2009 4:45 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

i really don't buy toilet paper that often.


i prefer to go @ work.


however, i won't not go @ home just to save on TP.


i just get satisfaction knowing i am getting paid to use the restroom.

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mrgenius
October 15, 2009 4:48 PM
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I don't see the big deal. I would argue that my ass-wiping experience will be unaffected by this shrinkage. However, a commensurate price increase if they left the roll the old size would be more noticed.


In reality, I like Charmin Freshwipes, so I don't really care :)

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occumb
October 15, 2009 4:49 PM
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I KNEW it! I've noticed at my workplace and other public places that the TP doesn't fit and is falling out of the holders. Is it on the business owners then to buy narrower holders?

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Bigfoot-Angus
October 15, 2009 4:53 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I get my TP at COSTCO, Their Kirkland's Best is a good value and it even passes my wife's quality standards.

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2 replies
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lilyHaze
October 15, 2009 8:09 PM
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@Bigfoot-Angus: Yes. I tried Quilted Northern after a year or two of using Costco. It's gotten worst. It \"pills\" too much. I now stick to the Costco quilted stuff.

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DangerMouth
October 16, 2009 3:43 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@lilyHaze: ditto, pills WAY too much. Perhaps now I can convince the other half to go back to scott.

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Xerloq
October 15, 2009 4:53 PM
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Who uses an entire sheet to wipe their ass? Unlike a good PBnJ sandwich, toilet paper should not be covered from edge to edge...

Perhaps we should offer kudos to Northern for saving 15% more trees with their \"greensized\" toilet paper?

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2 replies
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shepd
October 15, 2009 5:35 PM
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@Xerloq speaks Portuguese, too...:

Yup! Because everyone I know buys toilet paper made from redwoods rather than toilet paper made from forests specifically planted to make toilet paper trees.

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Xerloq
October 16, 2009 3:14 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@shepd: Bah. I forgot the sarcasm tag...

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Skaperen
October 15, 2009 4:53 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Narrow toilet paper is standard in Europe.

And I rarely use the inch on each side.

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1 replies
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morlo
October 15, 2009 5:11 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Skaperen: There's a reason Europeans use bidets

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mbz32190
October 15, 2009 4:54 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I've noticed this on just about every toilet paper brand...either that or a massive price increase. Have you ever noticed the price on Charmin? It's insane! I always stock up when TP goes cheap...for example, this week at Shop Rite, 12 rolls of Angel Soft (another Georgia Pacific brand) for 2.24...found a 50 cent coupon on their website which doubles....so $1.24 for 12 rolls, and I bought several. (Now, the rolls are almost microscopic, but still great for the price).

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Meathamper
October 15, 2009 5:00 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

If it gets THAT bad with the toilet paper, I may have to to my ass-wiping with my tax forms instead.

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1 replies
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aparsons
October 15, 2009 5:00 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I just make sure that I only shit at work. Problem solved.

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6 replies
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subtlefrog
October 16, 2009 1:15 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@aparsons: Yeah, I'm not so much with the public thing.

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mookiemookie
October 15, 2009 6:10 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@aparsons: Always shit at work. It's the best feeling in the world, sitting there thinking \"I'm getting PAID for this!\"

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh
October 15, 2009 9:53 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@mookiemookie: Lol! I've never thought about it that way. Now I won't be able to stop thinking that.

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Thricebanned
October 16, 2009 12:33 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Kimaroo - No Stars Upon Thars: Oh yeah! I started that thought when I was 15. Every Back then, ever 15 mins of screwing around was an extra dollar on the paycheck. Therefore, I built an extra 15 mins of screwing around a day into my daily routine.

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Hank Scorpio
October 15, 2009 5:34 PM
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@aparsons: Unless you work somewhere that buys the really cheap TP that's about as soft as cardboard. That creates a whole new set of problems!

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morlo
October 15, 2009 5:09 PM
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@aparsons: Sounds like an opportunity for a vending machine

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Traveshamockery
October 15, 2009 5:48 PM
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@morlo: Or a coin slot on bathroom stalls.

/is willing to crawl underneath

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Saboth
October 15, 2009 5:08 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

One day we will remember back to when we had toilet paper, and lament the 3 shells.

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mariospants
October 15, 2009 5:21 PM
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\"unscented bathroom tissue\"... do they still make scented toilet paper?

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Smorgasbord
October 15, 2009 5:27 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I like the stores that put the cost per square feet and other product unit prices. Of course, they can put the number at any amount they want. Considering what it is used for, I always buy the cheapest.

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DoubleEcho
October 15, 2009 5:30 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

This might actually work better for me - the bigger rolls get stuck in our roller until they're about 1/4 of the way used. The wife has started putting the TP on top of the sink instead of on the roll, which causes me to knock it off into the damn toilet, wasting a roll! :(

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Colonel Jack O'Neill
October 15, 2009 5:46 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

So what if it has 14 less sheets, big deal, who the hell cares, toilet paper is toilet paper.

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1 replies
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DoubleEcho
October 15, 2009 6:21 PM
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@Colonel Jack O'Neill: You've obviously never used the sandpaper classified as \"bathroom tissue\" used in various rest stops and gas station bathrooms. You can't paint them all the with same.....er, well...you get it.

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Brazell
October 15, 2009 6:10 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Oh c'mon, toilet paper is purely a luxury.

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JulesNoctambule
October 15, 2009 7:46 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

We used to buy that brand, but switched to the Target house brand one needy afternoon when we they were out. Turns out Target makes it well!

On the subject of shrink ray, I noticed that our brand of (ridiculously expensive) cat chow has lost about five pounds to the bag while the price remains steady. Seems we gained eye-catching bag design and lost a few week's worth of chow.

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1 replies
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Saboth
October 15, 2009 8:27 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@JulesNoctambule:

Kroger's version of Scott is pretty good too.

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Marshfield
October 15, 2009 9:06 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Comparison shopping TP is nearly impossible. Store Unit pricing is inconsistent (Price per roll, per sq ft and the like) and the roll sizes are different (width, etc) and then there's double rolls, triple rolls, single ply, double ply -- it's enough to make you crazy!

After giving it my best shot, I follow Consumer Reports and just buy the pallet of TP at Costco.

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Ronin-Democrat
October 15, 2009 9:25 PM
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you pooped your pants?

cut down on the bran man.....

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nascardan
October 15, 2009 10:38 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I've also found that Quilted Northern gets thinner the further you get into a roll. It starts out well enough but by midway, it's on the same level as a store brand.

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tronim
October 15, 2009 10:47 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I agree with conservation efforts, but I don't appreciate these corporations trying to cover the fact that we get less paper for the same amount or sometimes more $$$$. Don't try to get over on the people, you'll only annoy them to the point they find another vendor.

Squeeze Bottle w/ Water + Baby Wipes + TP (used to dry) = Clean Arse...

Use more water people.

© Message brought to you by the Anti-Tractor Smear Corporation.

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squishyalt
October 16, 2009 12:05 AM
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I guess you could always try to shit less.

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empkae
October 16, 2009 12:17 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Trader Joe has done this, too. Annoying. Just mark it up a bit. We are used to inflation of prices, but don't want cheap tricks like this.

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1 replies
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squishyalt
October 16, 2009 3:02 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@empkae: Don't worry. The markup comes after the shrink ray.

The ol' double-whammy. Just watch and see. In less than 6 months they will raise the prices of these same shrunken items.

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H3ion
October 16, 2009 3:51 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

The answer is to use the toilet only once or twice a week. That or grow corn.

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Trojan69
October 16, 2009 7:53 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

My most recent purchase of Charmin Basic (12 \"Big\" Roll package), at Wal*Mart, revealed a 13.5% reduction in size/roll. The sheet size was identical to those in the previous packages.

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wolfie
December 1, 2009 4:34 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Has Anyone noticed how some toilet papers, charmin' being a big offender but not the only one.......just whirl off the roller. a gentle tug and suddenly three quarters of the roll are on the floor. you can re-roll the whole thing, time consuming, or just most of it but the bottom line is that you invariably use way more toilet paper than you had originally intended.

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