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Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Shrinkflation
- S. St. Jeb
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1077
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:44 pm
- Location: Burlington, ON
Shrinkflation
I'm sure you've all seen where companies reduce the size of an item instead of increasing the price. I hate the practice.
Anyway, saw a 'new' listing for Carlesberg in the LCBO which seemed strange. Sure enough, they are moving from a 500 mL can to a 473 mL can. $3.00 for the 500, $2.95 for the 473. Aside from the marginal increase in cents/mL, I suppose they like the $2.95 vs $3.00 for psychological reasons.
Anyway, saw a 'new' listing for Carlesberg in the LCBO which seemed strange. Sure enough, they are moving from a 500 mL can to a 473 mL can. $3.00 for the 500, $2.95 for the 473. Aside from the marginal increase in cents/mL, I suppose they like the $2.95 vs $3.00 for psychological reasons.
I wonder if they are also changing can suppliers and/or where it is brewed?S. St. Jeb wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:03 pm Anyway, saw a 'new' listing for Carlesberg in the LCBO which seemed strange. Sure enough, they are moving from a 500 mL can to a 473 mL can. $3.00 for the 500, $2.95 for the 473. Aside from the marginal increase in cents/mL, I suppose they like the $2.95 vs $3.00 for psychological reasons.
I've moaned about this on the forum numerous times before, but this with "pints" is a big beef of mine. Maybe it's overall good for my health anyway, but I see at many bars that their 'regular' beers are 14oz nowadays.S. St. Jeb wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:03 pm I'm sure you've all seen where companies reduce the size of an item instead of increasing the price. I hate the practice.
- MatttthewGeorge
- Bar Fly
- Posts: 966
- Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:45 pm
- Location: Woolwich, ON
- Contact:
Carlesberg bought out Waterloo brewing and it's now being brewed there. Everything else out of that brewery is in a 473ml so it only makes sense to have Carlesberg move to that size as well.JerCraigs wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 9:06 pmI wonder if they are also changing can suppliers and/or where it is brewed?S. St. Jeb wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:03 pm Anyway, saw a 'new' listing for Carlesberg in the LCBO which seemed strange. Sure enough, they are moving from a 500 mL can to a 473 mL can. $3.00 for the 500, $2.95 for the 473. Aside from the marginal increase in cents/mL, I suppose they like the $2.95 vs $3.00 for psychological reasons.
I used to sell beer. Now I don't.
It'll be the last straw for me if my favourite euros downsize from 500 ml to 473 ml. I've never liked 473 since it's always just a little underfilled in most of my glasses. 500 ml is generally perfect, although if we're talking a true imperial pint they should be 568 ml, however only a handful of UK imports are that size anymore.
And don't get me started on the 14 oz serving size. That's a half beer lol
And don't get me started on the 14 oz serving size. That's a half beer lol
- S. St. Jeb
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1077
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:44 pm
- Location: Burlington, ON
Matthew is right, of course. I hadn't thought of that when I had my little rant, so it's not really shrinkflation in this case.MatttthewGeorge wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 5:00 pm Carlesberg bought out Waterloo brewing and it's now being brewed there. Everything else out of that brewery is in a 473ml so it only makes sense to have Carlesberg move to that size as well.
I've also noticed new listings recently for Ontario-made Faxe and Holsten beers, which must be being brewed at Amsterdam.
On the topic of shrinkflation but in a somewhat different way, my perception is that beers are getting worse. Not bad per se, but I'm trying more and more that just seem to be a little lacking in body, lacking in hops or malt; just flatter overall. Collective's new TIPA (Hot Fuzz) for instance was so light bodied and mild I honestly thought it was a mis-labelled single IPA - again, it wasn't bad per se, but it did not have the impact I'd except for a TIPA. Some beers I drink semi-regularly seem to be affected too, everything seem dialed down just a bit.
I suspect breweries are experimenting with ways of reducing raw material inputs to combat increased costs and honestly I get it. Luxuries are the first to go when times are tight economically, and craft beer/premium beverages are definitely a luxury. I imagine breweries know there's only so much the market can bear in terms of pricing, apart from a handful of really small scale/specialty breweries (Badlands, Third Moon for instance) that have been able to carve out a niche in that higher priced space.
Curious if anyone else finds themselves feeling similarly about a lot of the stuff being released today; and regular items for that matter.
I suspect breweries are experimenting with ways of reducing raw material inputs to combat increased costs and honestly I get it. Luxuries are the first to go when times are tight economically, and craft beer/premium beverages are definitely a luxury. I imagine breweries know there's only so much the market can bear in terms of pricing, apart from a handful of really small scale/specialty breweries (Badlands, Third Moon for instance) that have been able to carve out a niche in that higher priced space.
Curious if anyone else finds themselves feeling similarly about a lot of the stuff being released today; and regular items for that matter.
- MatttthewGeorge
- Bar Fly
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- Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:45 pm
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Yes, absolutely! Definitely in the one-off/seasonal categories, I've noticed lighter/thinner beers and often wondered if it had more to do with costs than with style. I haven't noticed it so much in regular items, but I generally drink German imports or GL Canuck regularly, and haven't noticed any difference there.
I've heard rumour of many breweries experimenting with hop and malt extracts more as well. If that's the case, it would definitely effect the body of the beer, even if the extracts or the process is better now.
I used to sell beer. Now I don't.
- S. St. Jeb
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1077
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:44 pm
- Location: Burlington, ON
Amazing timing for you to make this comment. I just saw an article yesterday about this and there's even a word for it. Skimpflation.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/skimpf ... -1.7021544
You know I think I scrolled past that headline the other day and it put the thought in my head as I was drinking that CA triple.S. St. Jeb wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 10:41 amAmazing timing for you to make this comment. I just saw an article yesterday about this and there's even a word for it. Skimpflation.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/skimpf ... -1.7021544
I agree, I notice it more in seasonal releases as they come around vs. regularly available items. I drink a lot of Canuck too, as well as Pilsner Urquell and thankfully they've remained very constant over the years.MatttthewGeorge wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 10:22 amYes, absolutely! Definitely in the one-off/seasonal categories, I've noticed lighter/thinner beers and often wondered if it had more to do with costs than with style. I haven't noticed it so much in regular items, but I generally drink German imports or GL Canuck regularly, and haven't noticed any difference there.
I've heard rumour of many breweries experimenting with hop and malt extracts more as well. If that's the case, it would definitely effect the body of the beer, even if the extracts or the process is better now.
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- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2016
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
- Location: Toronto
Yeah, as noted the 500 ml vs. 473 ml can thing is a handy way to determine if an "import" is actually imported. If it's in a 473 ml. can, it was brewed in Canada; 500's are from Europe. Not completely sure about USA (they don't list ml's on the can if brewed for the domestic US market?)
On the subject of shrinkflation, maybe I’m just getting ornery in my old age but I just cannot stand this. Clearly the bartender knows what they’re doing. (And I have no problem naming names, it's Beertown.)
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- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2016
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
- Location: Toronto
Agree! So do act like a bit of a dick and ask for a top-up, or quietly pay too much for too little?
I can't bring myself to be a dick about it at the bar. I'll just talk about them behind their back on forumsmidlife crisis wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 8:40 am Agree! So do act like a bit of a dick and ask for a top-up, or quietly pay too much for too little?
In all seriousness though, I have been noticing it more and more there which is unfortunate. I've found an older school British pub not far away that still does 18/20oz glasses and the beer selection is passable. So I'll probably "quiet quit" on them and migrate my business for the time being.