The Parks' Inflation is index is out for the year, showing the first decline in our grocery store basket-of-goods since its inception three years ago. The index declined 2.27% overall, after being up 13% and 21% over the two prior years.
The biggest price drop was a head of lettuce (down 20%). The biggest price rise was Bomb Pops, up a whopping 63% from a year ago. The prize for "incredible shrinking package" goes to Tide Detergent, who dropped their box volume from 169 ounces down to 143 ounces but maintained the price from last year (equaling an 18% rise in price).
While the shrinkage smacks of trickery, it could be an understanding on the part of the company that customers more readily accept the smaller box over a higher price. It's very difficult for companies to pass on price increases which is why, as the money gets printed faster, so many packages have been shrinking. Of all the shrinking, I miss my beloved 1/2 gallon ice cream containers the most!
