Food Prices

A classic method of passing price increases to consumers (you!) that usually go unrecognized is by decreasing the net weight of the food package, yet maintaining the same price. Oftentimes small weight decreases like 0.25, 0.50 ounces go unrecognized and unnoticed by the average consumer. How often do you check weights, and price per ounce?
Food manufacturers would rather use this method of price adjustment than throw a price increase your way. Consumers are not as tolerant of higher prices now as they were prior to the great recession, and many food companies feel that a price increase would drive the consumer to a private label brand. But let's admit it, some of those private label brands, for example Market Pantry, are of sound value and good quality.
Now for you chocolate lovers, price increases are expected due to worsening political and economic conditions in the Ivory Coast cocoa bean growing area (west coast of the African continent). The recent election created more disarray than stability because of an export ban.