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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's Not Your Imagination: Popular Everyday Products Are Giving You Less And Costing More; Here Are 19 Real Life Examples
If the price of eggs hypothetically went from around $1.99 a dozen to, oh, let's say $10.99 a dozen, you'd surely notice right away. But if every egg in a carton got just a little bit smaller, or if the same-sized carton held only 10 eggs instead of 12, and the price stayed the same, you might not notice until the next time you went to make an omelet. It's a phenomenon known as "shrinkflation." When companies face higher costs and don't want to scare off customers by raising prices, items get smaller while the price tag stays the same. Historically, we tend to see more shrinkflation when inflation is high and other costs are rising. To help you spot shrinkflation in the wild, here are 19 real-life examples people shared online: up packaging is one common way that companies camouflage shrinking products. Of these two bottles of orange juice, which one looks bigger to you? It's the one on the left. In late 2024, Tropicana was accused of shrinkflation when it switched from the carafe-style bottle on the left that held 52 ounces of juice to the taller, skinnier bottle on the right that holds 46 ounces. The company denied that the packaging changes were motivated by shrinkflation. On its website, it said, "At Tropicana, the consumer is always at the center of our decision making. Because of that, we redesigned our bottles to directly address their concerns around ease of opening, ease of handling, storage and desire for less plastic, as well as offering more affordable juice options." products stay the same size but the ingredients or formulations change, like this drink that went from 70% juice to 60% juice. —kjacmuse this mint chip ice cream that's lost a lot of chips over the years. The picture on the top is from a few months ago, and the picture on the bottom is from a couple of years ago, according to the original poster. sign of shrinkage: you might notice a callout on the packaging that looks like it's announcing an increase in value or quantity when the box now actually holds less. —ageric Related: It's Kinda Weird, But I TOTALLY Know Which State You're From Based On Your American Taste Buds these Dino Nuggets that rebranded as Megadino Nuggets but went from a 64-ounce bag to a 45-ounce bag. the packaging looks almost exactly the same, but the product has shrunk. some packages have been redesigned to hide empty spaces in ways that you wouldn't expect, like this packet of crackers, where the empty spot in the middle would be covered by a label on store shelves. you didn't have the older string cheese to compare it to, would you have noticed that this snack got both shorter and skinnier? if you didn't look really closely at this lotion, you'd probably think that nothing had changed. Related: 21 US Products With Names So Hilariously Different Abroad That I'm Questioning Everything I Know which one of these cereal boxes do you think holds the most product? It's the one on the left. The one on the right is taller, but it's also thinner. again, the "taller" container here actually holds less. of these packages was purchased a year ago, and the other a few months ago. Can you tell which is which? It's the one on the right, duh! items like toilet paper and paper towels can fall victim to shrinkflation, like this roll on the right that clearly has fewer sheets than the one on the left. this toilet paper that now has smaller squares. another interesting example. The Reddit user who posted it wrote, "I always buy the $20 Tide detergent. I had my last three still in the laundry room and noticed each time I bought one, the quantity went down." From left to right, the bottles went from 154 ounces to 146 ounces to 132 ounces. you use any store apps while you shop that save your past receipts, it can really help you spot shrinkflation. recipe book might also tip you off to product size changes. For example, one of my mom's old recipes calls for a 16-ounce can of tomatoes, but I can only ever find 14.5-ounce cans nowadays. you buy products on a subscription basis, you'll also get tipped off to any changes in product size. finally, sometimes you just see it, like when this person's can was too small to fit just right inside their coozie: Have you noticed any recent examples of shrinkflation? Tell us all about it in the comments or via the anonymous form below: Also in Food: I'm Sorry, But I HIGHLY Doubt Any Adult Can Name All Of These Food Logos, Despite Them All Being Iconic Also in Food: "We Are VEGETARIAN! We Eat CHICKEN!": Chefs And Servers Are Revealing The Unhinged Orders That Will Haunt Them Forever Also in Food: People Are Sharing Their Go-To Food Hacks They're Shocked More Home Cooks Don't Already Know
Buzz Feed
14-05-2025
- Business
- Buzz Feed
19 Real-Life Examples Of Shrinkflation In 2025
If the price of eggs hypothetically went from around $1.99 a dozen to, oh, let's say $10.99 a dozen, you'd surely notice right away. But if every egg in a carton got just a little bit smaller, or if the same-sized carton held only 10 eggs instead of 12, and the price stayed the same, you might not notice until the next time you went to make an omelet. It's a phenomenon known as "shrinkflation." When companies face higher costs and don't want to scare off customers by raising prices, items get smaller while the price tag stays the same. Historically, we tend to see more shrinkflation when inflation is high and other costs are rising. To help you spot shrinkflation in the wild, here are 19 real-life examples people shared online: Changing up packaging is one common way that companies camouflage shrinking products. Of these two bottles of orange juice, which one looks bigger to you? It's the one on the left. In late 2024, Tropicana was accused of shrinkflation when it switched from the carafe-style bottle on the left that held 52 ounces of juice to the taller, skinnier bottle on the right that holds 46 ounces. The company denied that the packaging changes were motivated by shrinkflation. On its website, it said, "At Tropicana, the consumer is always at the center of our decision making. Because of that, we redesigned our bottles to directly address their concerns around ease of opening, ease of handling, storage and desire for less plastic, as well as offering more affordable juice options." Sometimes products stay the same size but the ingredients or formulations change, like this drink that went from 70% juice to 60% juice. —kjacmuse Or this mint chip ice cream that's lost a lot of chips over the years. The picture on the top is from a few months ago, and the picture on the bottom is from a couple of years ago, according to the original poster. Another sign of shrinkage: you might notice a callout on the packaging that looks like it's announcing an increase in value or quantity when the box now actually holds less. —ageric Like these Dino Nuggets that rebranded as Megadino Nuggets but went from a 64-ounce bag to a 45-ounce bag. Sometimes the packaging looks almost exactly the same, but the product has shrunk. And some packages have been redesigned to hide empty spaces in ways that you wouldn't expect, like this packet of crackers, where the empty spot in the middle would be covered by a label on store shelves. If you didn't have the older string cheese to compare it to, would you have noticed that this snack got both shorter and skinnier? And if you didn't look really closely at this lotion, you'd probably think that nothing had changed. So, which one of these cereal boxes do you think holds the most product? It's the one on the left. The one on the right is taller, but it's also thinner. Once again, the "taller" container here actually holds less. One of these packages was purchased a year ago, and the other a few months ago. Can you tell which is which? It's the one on the right, duh! Even items like toilet paper and paper towels can fall victim to shrinkflation, like this roll on the right that clearly has fewer sheets than the one on the left. Or this toilet paper that now has smaller squares. Here's another interesting example. The Reddit user who posted it wrote, "I always buy the $20 Tide detergent. I had my last three still in the laundry room and noticed each time I bought one, the quantity went down." From left to right, the bottles went from 154 ounces to 146 ounces to 132 ounces. If you use any store apps while you shop that save your past receipts, it can really help you spot shrinkflation. Your recipe book might also tip you off to product size changes. For example, one of my mom's old recipes calls for a 16-ounce can of tomatoes, but I can only ever find 14.5-ounce cans nowadays. If you buy products on a subscription basis, you'll also get tipped off to any changes in product size. And finally, sometimes you just see it, like when this person's can was too small to fit just right inside their coozie: Have you noticed any recent examples of shrinkflation? Tell us all about it in the comments or via the anonymous form below:
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Record number of kids with autism drowned in 2024. Experts don't know why
Record number of kids with autism drowned in 2024. Experts don't know why Show Caption Hide Caption Watch this mom donate safety locks for families with autistic children Sheletta Brundidge held a giveaway in Houston, Texas for families with children who have autism, donating specialized door locks to keep kids safe. First responders are being trained to search bodies of water first when an autistic child goes missing. New policies, like Kentucky's "Ian Alert" and a proposed "Joshua Alert" in Ohio, aim to improve response protocol and prevent future tragedies. WOODLAWN, Ohio ‒ Jonisa Cook gets teary-eyed talking about her son four months after his death. She still struggles to walk past kids' clothing racks in stores, or grocery aisles with his favorite foods, like Dino Nuggets and pudding cups. Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., a 6-year-old diagnosed with autism, drowned in a pond at the family's apartment complex in November. "He was lovable and his smile was everything. He ran to the sound of his own beat," she told The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network. "We miss him a lot. The house is definitely quieter." Joshua is one of at least 69 children with autism who drowned in 2024, almost double the typical annual average of 35 wandering-related drowning deaths, according to the National Autism Association. Word spread quickly on social media that Joshua was missing. Police, hundreds of volunteers and friends and family all searched for him, despite the snow. His body was found the day after he was reported missing. His story is similar to other kids across the country. "When you see a case like Joshua's, it really stands out just because of the community involvement, how everybody came together, how quickly they mobilized," said Lori McIlwain, co-founder of the National Autism Association. "The caring and compassion was so clearly there – you could feel it." Jonisa Cook and Joshua's two siblings moved out of their West Chester apartment after his death. The family now lives in Woodlawn, another Cincinnati suburb. Cook is trying to prevent this from happening to other families. She's serving on an Ohio missing persons group to change the way state and local agencies respond to cases like Joshua's, and she started a petition to implement a new "Joshua Alert" for missing children with spectrum disorders. "Since Joshua (died), his dad sent me, within like a week or two after that, stories of three or four other kiddos (who drowned)," she said. "This is a big issue." Experts unsure how to explain jump in autistic children's deaths The National Autism Association, a nonprofit that provides education, tools and research for the autism community, has tracked deaths of children and adults with autism for decades. McIlwain said drowning deaths among autistic children had not been trending up before 2024. There was a record low number of these types of deaths in 2020. "Last year was an outlier," she said. "There's no real indication as to why." Other factors – like the average age of children who drowned, which was 6 – were similar to past years. The risk of drowning went up if the child was under 14 and nonspeaking. "If they wander away, drowning is pretty imminent, meaning more times than not they are going to drown," McIlwain said. Children with autism sometimes wander away, or elope, from parents or caregivers. Many autistic kids are also drawn to water, regardless of its temperature, because it offers a calming sensory effect. 'So easy to happen so quickly': Her boy wandered from home and died. This mom wants you to know the perils of 'elopement.' The risk of drowning for autistic children is more than 160 times greater than the general child population, according to a 2017 study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Drowning deaths are more common during warmer months, but can still happen in winter. A 6-year-old girl with autism drowned in an icy pond in Massachusetts this January. Families all over are affected: 26 states had one or more wandering-related drowning deaths last year, according to the National Autism Association. A 2013-2022 study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that 83% of all accidental deaths of missing autistic children were due to drowning. The study also found drownings were most common among boys between 3 and 8 years old. Education, police training could lead to more rescues Training first responders and parents to check nearby ponds, pools or creeks when a child with autism goes missing is critical, McIlwain said, and there's evidence that message is becoming more widespread. Though there was a record high number of autistic child drownings last year, there was also a record number of rescues. "Even though it was such a tragic year, there's more awareness than we've ever seen," McIlwain said. "First responders knowing where to search, knowing the water piece. So, that's all very encouraging. It's bittersweet." The National Autism Association launched its #SearchWaterFirst campaign in 2013 to spread awareness. Groups like Autism Connections train first responders to check bodies of water first when an autistic child is reported missing. Large police agencies typically offer this kind of training, but smaller jurisdictions may not have the resources to provide it, McIlwain said. To fix that, McIlwain would like to see autism-specific training taught at police academies and in criminal justice programs. Cook is working to start a foundation in Joshua's name that could help parents get access to appropriate child care, affordable tracking devices and other support. Cook smiled as she remembered Joshua's early grasp of letters, colors and shapes. He was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. "It was hard. Especially when he would cry and you knew something was hurting him, but he couldn't tell you what was going on," she said. "That was one of the hardest things as a parent." Cook took classes for parents with autistic children at Cincinnati Children's and enrolled Joshua in specialized therapies and schools. It was both challenging and rewarding, she said, as they celebrated all of Joshua's milestones. But child care for autistic kids can be hard to navigate and demand can outpace availability. Cook lost some of her support system when her parents died in 2020. She wants other parents of autistic children to know they're not alone. "A lot of families don't have help. A lot of people don't want to deal with it. They think the kid is too hyper, or they don't understand (them)," she said. "A lot of families don't understand the day-to-day. It's going to appointments, therapy, speech (class), school meetings. It's different. "There's definitely a need for more child care opportunities for kiddos with autism. There's definitely more education that needs to be out there for families with autism," she said. What does 2024 jump in deaths mean for 2025? Five kids with autism have drowned so far this year, according to the National Autism Association. "We had a couple of deaths so far in January. Last year we didn't have any January deaths," McIlwain said. "I don't know if it's going to continue trending up, but this is definitely different from previous years." At the same time, new policies are going into effect. Last summer, Kentucky created the "Ian Alert," which works like an Amber Alert for children with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, who go missing. It's named for 9-year-old Ian Sousis, who drowned in the Ohio River in 2022. The alert hasn't been used yet in the state, according to Kentucky State Police. "The alert system is one piece, but it's a critical piece," McIlwain said. "Just like the tracking devices and home security, supervision, all of these are critical pieces. Combining these pieces is going to be what keeps our kids safe." Cook's petition to implement a similar "Joshua Alert" in Ohio has more than 15,000 signatures. Through her foundation, Cook hopes to make tracking devices better and more affordable, and help parents navigate child care. "One of the things that I feel is helping me cope with Joshua's death is I am on this mission to help other families, so they won't have to experience it," Cook said. "I still have my moments. When I start to think about him more, (I tell myself,) 'I'm doing work. I'm trying to prevent this from happening to someone else.'"
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Record number of kids with autism drowned in 2024. Experts don't know why
WOODLAWN, Ohio ‒ Jonisa Cook gets teary-eyed talking about her son four months after his death. She still struggles to walk past kids' clothing racks in stores, or grocery aisles with his favorite foods, like Dino Nuggets and pudding cups. Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., a 6-year-old diagnosed with autism, drowned in a pond at the family's apartment complex in November. "He was lovable and his smile was everything. He ran to the sound of his own beat," she told The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network. "We miss him a lot. The house is definitely quieter." Joshua is one of at least 69 children with autism who drowned in 2024, almost double the typical annual average of 35 wandering-related drowning deaths, according to the National Autism Association. Word spread quickly on social media that Joshua was missing. Police, hundreds of volunteers and friends and family all searched for him, despite the snow. His body was found the day after he was reported missing. His story is similar to other kids across the country. "When you see a case like Joshua's, it really stands out just because of the community involvement, how everybody came together, how quickly they mobilized," said Lori McIlwain, co-founder of the National Autism Association. "The caring and compassion was so clearly there – you could feel it." Jonisa Cook and Joshua's two siblings moved out of their West Chester apartment after his death. The family now lives in Woodlawn, another Cincinnati suburb. Cook is trying to prevent this from happening to other families. She's serving on an Ohio missing persons group to change the way state and local agencies respond to cases like Joshua's, and she started a petition to implement a new "Joshua Alert" for missing children with spectrum disorders. "Since Joshua (died), his dad sent me, within like a week or two after that, stories of three or four other kiddos (who drowned)," she said. "This is a big issue." The National Autism Association, a nonprofit that provides education, tools and research for the autism community, has tracked deaths of children and adults with autism for decades. McIlwain said drowning deaths among autistic children had not been trending up before 2024. There was a record low number of these types of deaths in 2020. "Last year was an outlier," she said. "There's no real indication as to why." Other factors – like the average age of children who drowned, which was 6 – were similar to past years. The risk of drowning went up if the child was under 14 and nonspeaking. "If they wander away, drowning is pretty imminent, meaning more times than not they are going to drown," McIlwain said. Children with autism sometimes wander away, or elope, from parents or caregivers. Many autistic kids are also drawn to water, regardless of its temperature, because it offers a calming sensory effect. 'So easy to happen so quickly': Her boy wandered from home and died. This mom wants you to know the perils of 'elopement.' The risk of drowning for autistic children is more than 160 times greater than the general child population, according to a 2017 study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Drowning deaths are more common during warmer months, but can still happen in winter. A 6-year-old girl with autism drowned in an icy pond in Massachusetts this January. Families all over are affected: 26 states had one or more wandering-related drowning deaths last year, according to the National Autism Association. A 2013-2022 study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that 83% of all accidental deaths of missing autistic children were due to drowning. The study also found drownings were most common among boys between 3 and 8 years old. Training first responders and parents to check nearby ponds, pools or creeks when a child with autism goes missing is critical, McIlwain said, and there's evidence that message is becoming more widespread. Though there was a record high number of autistic child drownings last year, there was also a record number of rescues. "Even though it was such a tragic year, there's more awareness than we've ever seen," McIlwain said. "First responders knowing where to search, knowing the water piece. So, that's all very encouraging. It's bittersweet." The National Autism Association launched its #SearchWaterFirst campaign in 2013 to spread awareness. Groups like Autism Connections train first responders to check bodies of water first when an autistic child is reported missing. Large police agencies typically offer this kind of training, but smaller jurisdictions may not have the resources to provide it, McIlwain said. To fix that, McIlwain would like to see autism-specific training taught at police academies and in criminal justice programs. Cook is working to start a foundation in Joshua's name that could help parents get access to appropriate child care, affordable tracking devices and other support. Cook smiled as she remembered Joshua's early grasp of letters, colors and shapes. He was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. "It was hard. Especially when he would cry and you knew something was hurting him, but he couldn't tell you what was going on," she said. "That was one of the hardest things as a parent." Cook took classes for parents with autistic children at Cincinnati Children's and enrolled Joshua in specialized therapies and schools. It was both challenging and rewarding, she said, as they celebrated all of Joshua's milestones. But child care for autistic kids can be hard to navigate and demand can outpace availability. Cook lost some of her support system when her parents died in 2020. She wants other parents of autistic children to know they're not alone. "A lot of families don't have help. A lot of people don't want to deal with it. They think the kid is too hyper, or they don't understand (them)," she said. "A lot of families don't understand the day-to-day. It's going to appointments, therapy, speech (class), school meetings. It's different. "There's definitely a need for more child care opportunities for kiddos with autism. There's definitely more education that needs to be out there for families with autism," she said. Five kids with autism have drowned so far this year, according to the National Autism Association. "We had a couple of deaths so far in January. Last year we didn't have any January deaths," McIlwain said. "I don't know if it's going to continue trending up, but this is definitely different from previous years." At the same time, new policies are going into effect. Last summer, Kentucky created the "Ian Alert," which works like an Amber Alert for children with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, who go missing. It's named for 9-year-old Ian Sousis, who drowned in the Ohio River in 2022. The alert hasn't been used yet in the state, according to Kentucky State Police. "The alert system is one piece, but it's a critical piece," McIlwain said. "Just like the tracking devices and home security, supervision, all of these are critical pieces. Combining these pieces is going to be what keeps our kids safe." Cook's petition to implement a similar "Joshua Alert" in Ohio has more than 15,000 signatures. Through her foundation, Cook hopes to make tracking devices better and more affordable, and help parents navigate child care. "One of the things that I feel is helping me cope with Joshua's death is I am on this mission to help other families, so they won't have to experience it," Cook said. "I still have my moments. When I start to think about him more, (I tell myself,) 'I'm doing work. I'm trying to prevent this from happening to someone else.'" This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Drowning deaths for kids with autism almost doubled last year
