It’s a clutch decision. You buy your sweetie the Valentine’s Day box. You know the one. Red shiny cardboard, heart-shaped, fancy-looking and boasting an assortment of milk and dark chocolates. One is made by Russell Stover, the other the classic Whitman’s Sampler (which, incidentally, are owned by the same company). It sets you back about $7.99 at Walgreen’s or your oh-geez-is-it-really-Feb.-14 store of choice.
The box is about is about 9.3 inches wide and 10 inches tall, a good size. But inside the Whitman’s box are 11 candies. Inside the Russell Stover? Nine candies.
If you take out the molded plastic insert, the chocolates occupy less than half of the box.
This is not an example of “shrinkflation,” said Ed Dworsky, founder of Consumer World, a consumer advice website. That’s the practice of companies slightly downsizing paper products, salty snacks and other package goods to avoid raising prices when ingredient, labor and transportation costs go up.
Rather, he alleged, it’s something called “slack-fill.”
[There’s going to be more and more of this in every facet of goods. I’ve ordered hub’s toffee almost every year from a small private chocolate firm out of state. Granted, I have to suck it up price-wise, but once a year for such a treat makes it even more special. If I didn’t, I look to locals for such things. They always seem to taste better and you’re helping small businesses out, even with a two-piece truffle purchase. ~ Beege]
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