Quality Street (Others Also) Are Shrinking

[DTMark]

I love this story.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/jul/17/amazon-kindle-1984

Nice one. Raises a smile

[SNACR]

A few years back, the UN estimated that about 5-10% of world cocoa was produced by slave labour. There have been attempts to eliminate this (Fair trade, etc.) which I would assume would put up the cocoa price.

Perhaps people are nostalgic for old, slave-produced chocolate.

It's good to know the UN is looking out for the Oompah Lumpahs.

[olde guto]

A few years back, the UN estimated that about 5-10% of world cocoa was produced by slave labour. There have been attempts to eliminate this (Fair trade, etc.) which I would assume would put up the cocoa price.

Perhaps people are nostalgic for old, slave-produced chocolate.

DM/DE readers almost certainly are

[crashmonitor]

I've dug around on the old interweb and it seems these biggest tins (3 or 4 lbs I imagine) cost around £9 back in the 1980s. If that is true then they'd cost over £20 today (this excludes any commodity specific inflation). £5 - 1/4 of the size for 1/4 of the price...

Funnily enough I almost feel sorry for the chocolate companies the great british pubelick seem to want prices to remain the same despite inflation (maybe they should start selling chocolate houses) and for the size of the chocolate to stay the same.

If Nestle (and Cadbury) had half a brain they'd find the RRP of those tins and then publish the cost once inflation is factored in.

Actually this shows just how poor their understanding of things like inflation, IRs and commodity prices are. This is an oldish graph but cocoa has basically doubled in price over the past 10 years. Not a massive increase per chocolate maybe, but an increase all the same.

You can almost hear the sheeple now "house price inflation gooood, cocoa price inflation baaad"

I guess the commodity price is a small part of the equation, you have the manufacturer and the retailer. At least we acknowlege that something that was a luxury item and cost £20 in real terms is now a three quid chuck into the trolley item at Tesco, be it a smaller tin. Meanwhile we might ponder why these ''rich'' Corporations have been losing investors money since 1999, basically the consumer has had the maunufacturers and retailers bent over a barrel for a good shafting in the new globalised marketplace this last decade.

[StainlessSteelCat]

I guess the commodity price is a small part of the equation, you have the manufacturer and the retailer. At least we acknowlege that something that was a luxury item and cost £20 in real terms is now a three quid chuck into the trolley item at Tesco, be it a smaller tin. Meanwhile we might ponder why these ''rich'' Corporations have been losing investors money since 1999, basically the consumer has had the maunufacturers and retailers bent over a barrel for a good shafting in the new globalised marketplace this last decade.

Or alternatively, the companies are being run for the benefit of their most expensive employees.

[Bloo Loo]

because the dentists are closed, we avoid toffees over christmas these days

[crashmonitor]

Or alternatively, the companies are being run for the benefit of their most expensive employees.

Something in that, shareholders don't really have any power. Don't think the top brass alone have creamed off the profits, it goes deeper than that to bankrupt final salary schemes to all staff generally and sheer bad management from indulgent Shell artic explorations to Tesco building mega stores within a few miles of each other.

But when you add on an empowered consumer expecting better every year and competition then you just wonder what future Equity generally.

[workingpoor]

I got given a box of Mcvities chocolate biscuits for Xmas from a relative, i've seen the same box round the shop for £4, the chocolate tasted horrible.

[DTMark]

Cue middle-aged cynical man mode:

Another example of something that used to be superb but is now crap. There is hardly any chocolate on them.

[winkie]

Cue middle-aged cynical man mode:

Another example of something that used to be superb but is now crap. There is hardly any chocolate on them.

The problem these 'branded' that once used to be quality but now no different to other mediocre products or other products where the quality can now be better costing less.....is that the middle-aged can still clearly remember what used to be, an excellent product made with with excellent ingredients for a moderate cost.......those of a lesser age will more likely put up with inferior stuff because they know no different.....sign of the times.

[Guest eight]

Does anybody want to buy my part worn Christmas tub of Celebrations? Only the Bounties, Mars Bars and Galaxy Caramels remain.

[thecrashingisles]

It's the change from a metal to plastic "tin" that really smacks of cost-cutting to me.

Yes you wouldn't want the customers to re-use the packaging... Just as long as they didn't carry it home in a plastic bag the environment will be safe.

[MrPin]

It's the plastic "tin" I noticed too! I want real metal tins.