Patricia L. Van Dorst

A couple of months ago I bought some graham crackers that I needed for a pie crust. I instinctively reached for the Honey-Maid grahams as I have done for many years, but noticed something strange. The box seemed smaller than the other boxes. So much so that I had to compare it with other brands and sure enough, it had shrunk from its regular size. I didn’t think too much more about it until I opened the box at home that I noticed not only had the box shrunk, but the grahams as well.

Did they think we wouldn’t notice? Did they figure that we would understand about the inflation, the cost of living increase, happily pay the rising price and not notice they had shrunk the product by 20%?? Are they in agreement with the Hershey Company that had shrunk their product as well? What’s to become of our beloved S’mores?

From Kraft/Nabisco Company’s marketing standpoint this is a win/win situation. A few store employees that I spoke with, even a manager, albeit they were “20-somethings”, were happily ignorant to this change and in fact had not ever known that they were larger! The size is getting smaller while the price is going higher. Is it just me or is there something ironic about all this? Before you know it, S’mores won’t be any larger than the marshmallow sandwiched in between, or better yet, you will have to use mini marshmallows! Maybe I would feel a bit better if there were an apology offered and an explanation rather than just trying to sneak it by. With National Biscuit Co. Graham crackers being on the market since 1898 and Honey-Maid grahams since 1925 there’s one thing that’s clear, -they know what they’re doing, and I’ll be the first one to admit, I love their product! But really now, did they actually think we wouldn’t notice?

Have you noticed packages getting smaller?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal