Downsizing: The Incredible Shrinking Ice Cream Package

Have you purchased a half gallon of ice cream lately? If you answered yes, you are either lying or very lucky. The half gallon package of ice cream is all but extinct.

First the industry reduced the standard half gallon package to 1.75 quarts and now the standard is 1.5 quarts. For those expecting a commensurate reduction in price, you will be surprised to learn that there was none. Industry executives plead that reducing the size of the package was a more palatable alternative to raising prices or using lesser quality ingredients. For a mea culpa offered by an ice cream industry executive. See http://icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com/index.php/2008/08/15/shrinking-ice-cream-package/.

The half gallon package is not alone. Haagen Dazs, for example, has reduced the size of its pint to 14 ounces from 16 ounces and yet continues to label its package a "pint." As you might imagine, other ice cream companies are not happy about this development. Ben & Jerry's responded to Haagen Dazs' repackaging with the following statement:

One of our competitors (think funny-sounding European name) recently announced they will be downsizing their pints from 16 to 14 ounces to cover increased ingredient and manufacturing costs and help improve their bottom line. We understand that in today's hard economic times businesses are feeling the pinch. We also understand that many of you are also feeling the same, and think now more than ever you deserve your full pint of ice cream.

To the extent that you share Ben & Jerry's sentiments, and continue to want to purchase a full half gallon of ice cream, I can suggest a visit to Whole Foods Market. When I last purchased ice cream at Whole Foods, they were offering a half gallon of their store brand ice cream for $4.99--a fair price for a good wholesome product.

Eat up,
The Regular Guy