Not what I paid for

[katiefoolery]

I used to love Cheese in a Biskit (despite the spelling) because the biscuits (or biskits, it you prefer) came in the shape of a little slice of Swiss cheese, complete with holes.  Imagine my surprise when I poured some into a bowl this afternoon, after not having eaten any for ages, only to discover they now come in the shape of a wavy rectangle, thus:

It seems a little silly to be as bitterly disappointed as I was, but there you are.  I stood there in the kitchen, looking into my bowl of boringly-shaped biscuits, and lamented this development in the world of biscuits.  Those little Swiss cheese shapes had been so much fun.  Why on earth would you switch such fun biscuits for such drab ones?  I guess the simple answer is that it's more economical to make boringly-shaped biscuits.

However, this wasn't the end of my afternoon of unfortunate discoveries.  As I was putting the remainder of the biscuits away in the box, I thought it seemed a little light.  I didn't think I'd poured that many into my bowl.  Glancing at the box, I noticed that it claimed to weigh 175 grams, but I could have sworn you used to get more.  A little research on the internet revealed I was right: you used to get 200 grams in a packet, as we can clearly see in this image here.

So why did I have a box in my kitchen, looking like this?

I feel incredibly ripped off.  This is just another example of companies increasing their profit margins: we pay the same price, but we get less.  I'm heartily sick of it.

Has anyone else noticed shifty things like ths happening to their beloved products?

Comments

[the-kaytinator.livejournal.com]

What bothers me is that that midgety thing claims to be the "BIG MUNCH BOX".

How small, exactly, is the "small munch box"?

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Well, I think it's more of a "delicate bits package". Ironically, it's a much smaller "big" munch than it used to be.

[elfie-chan.livejournal.com]

I know that I was horrifically irritated when they changed the shape of Trix cereal from the little colored balls to the fruit shapes. It bakes differently, or something, and the little fruit shapes don't taste right. Imagine my joy and delight when the less-sugar version returned to the little colored spheres! Now I can eat the cereal I like and feel less guilty!

I do agree that we get less in our packages these days. *is sad* Settling is no excuse.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It's incredibly sucky that suddenly, we're expected to pay the same amount of money for less! I can't believe companies are allowed to get away with it.

*shakes fist angrily*

Maybe I have to hold out for salt-free Biskits and hope that the Swiss cheese shape is re-instated.

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

But then they imght taste all wrong. Biskits are harder to make taste right without the suar (or salt as the case may be)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

This just means I may be waiting a VERY long time. But that's OK - as long as I get my Swiss cheese shaped biscuits back.

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

Right, I'll ask you again in 40 years *makes a note of it in diary*

[elfie-chan.livejournal.com]

*joins the fist-shaking* Rhubarb! Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb!

Seriously, though. They do it because they know we will pay the money rather than go through life deprived of our favorite snacks. *sips latte and quietly rebels against Starbucks*

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It's blackmail, that's what it is. You're absolutely right.

In other news, I was watching Antiques Roadshow this morning and I saw a dressing-table stool that immediately made me think of Jane. I think it will be featuring in her next letter.

[elfie-chan.livejournal.com]

And we can't do anything about it other than deprive ourselves further. It's not fair.

Isn't that show fun? *grins* I saw a writing box yesterday that made me think of both Lizzie and Jane. It was lovely.

*looks forward anxiously to Jane's next letter*

[decryption.livejournal.com]

I love Cheese-in-a-biskit and I was also really annoyed to see they changed the shape. They don't taste as nice as they did when they were swiss-cut.

Have you tried their Burger-in-a-biskit? It tastes uncannily like a McDonalds Cheeseburger :p

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I have tried the burger one but I have to admit I don't actually remember what cheeseburgers taste like, so I wasn't that impressed.

Not only do the Cheese-in-a-biskit not taste the same, there's less of them! Less!

*fumes*

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

DOUGHNUTS! Doughnut King has changed the size of its eclairs! I used to love them, but stayed away from them for quite a while because it was a little too much love for them, if you get my meaning (mind you, i don't think it would make a difference because i changed my addiction of them to a rampant desire for starburst jelly babies) But i decided i needed to have one the other day, bounced over to buy one, noticed they had one more cream and jam filled strawberry topping one left, squeed, bought one, and then noticed it was tiny. The price had jumped, but the doughnuts were small. I was just... not happy. And remember when the icing was sticky? It used to be sticky, not the blocky stuff you can pull off....

so yes, i understand your pain.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It's such a shock when this happens. I used to love the jam ball doughnuts from "Donut" King, until I bought one and discovered they'd changed the jam. It was disgusting!

Why do people change a winning recipe? It just makes no sense.

[arieo.livejournal.com]

..........:o you're kidding me!!! I haven't had those in so long, i didn't know they'd changed them! nuuuu! I used to love their cheese-y shape :(

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I want my cheese-shaped biscuits back! I also want the extra twenty-five grams that used to come with them AT THE SAME COST. Stupid multi-national companies, ripping us off left, right and centre...

[darkfluidity.livejournal.com]

I remember these:

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what they used to look like! And now they're just a boring wavy shape.

[(Anonymous)]

Potato chips, in general. Why do they make such a big bag and not fill it up. Sure, some get broken, but not that much. ;D

Kelly Parra
writerwords.blogspot.com

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It's just silly, isn't it? You go home with this great big packet, puffed up with air and it turns out there are only about five chips inside.

[tim-of-oz.livejournal.com]

You know what?
A lot of advertising really doesn't make sense when you pay attention to the words they use more closely. (for example, 'big munch box!'

In other news, I never liked the cheese in a biscuit ones much. Dunno why.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Hehe! Yes - it's a box full of big munches. You have to be very careful when you open it.

I'm sure they'll work out which ones you like and change them when you're not looking.

[tim-of-oz.livejournal.com]

The trick's on them! I EAT ARNOTT'S SHAPES!!! Ahahahahaaha!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I usually eat shapes, but I just had a hankering for cheese-in-a-biskit. I used to love the salsa shapes until I realised a few months ago that they'd been discontinued. They were the most delicious shapes ever and they took them away from me.

[tim-of-oz.livejournal.com]

I like the traditionals, BBQ and Pizza. But I do like these new-ish Bega Cheese ones...

I wonder why they always drop 'brand names' into biscuit flavours, especially with cheese and peanut butter stuff...

[paulini.livejournal.com]

Oh poor kate! I can imagine how annoying this must be to such a devoted swiss cheese lookalikes eater ;) And I now do feel completely ripped off (cos I some times get them) paying the same price for less, you should go and write them a letter!

Has anyone else noticed shifty things like ths happening to their beloved products?
To tell you the sad truth, I'm never that observant! :(

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I suppose I could always send the packet back and say I'm unsatisfied because I USED TO GET MORE BISCUITS FOR MY MONEY!! Alas, I doubt it would achieve anything, although I might feel a little better about it. :)

These companies are sneaky, though. They don't want us to notice that we're paying the same amount for less so they do it as deceptively as possible. It was just "luck" that I happened to notice in this case.

[peachynat3.livejournal.com]

Whenever I think of Cheese in a Biskik I'm reminded of my Melbourne to Adelaide bus trip where I ate an entire box. I thought it was wonderful having a box all to myself... unfortunately my stomach didn't agree and about 5-10 minutes away from the bus depot in Adelaide, I threw up on the bus :( ... I thank the person that invented sick bags. Since then, I can't eat those biscuits without feeling sick. I used to love them ever so much.

[peachynat3.livejournal.com]

*Biskit

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

They're so addictive that I can quite imagine this happening. Although, if you ate a box now, you'd probably be fine, what with there being less in it these days.

I hate the way our minds automatically stop liking things because we've thrown up after eating them. I used to love a certain type of microwave satay noodles but I came down with a stomach bug after eating them once (it was unrelated to the noodles) and this resulted in the noodles ending up on the floor. And now I can't even look at the box without feeling nauseous. I used to love them!

[theoriginaldawn.livejournal.com]

Not only have the cheese ones changed shape, so have the potato ones! No longer round, they are wavey, like the cheese ones!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

You're kidding! What's wrong with these people? In that case, they've probably changed the bacon ones, too. I'm never buying any in-a-biskits ever again.

[(Anonymous)]

They all just don't have the same taste anymore. I won't be buying any until they either change back to the old recipe or shape etc.