Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[Cincy Trader]

It's all about illusion. Whether it be the Bernanke market or consumer goods. There was an article in our paper this morning about manufacturers, particularly the food industry, masking inflation in their products by giving you less and charging you the same. They go to very cleaver ways of packaging so that the shelf appearance stays the same by reducing the depth of the package rather than it's width and height. But, bottom line, there's less stuff in the package/container.

I know that a half gallon of ice cream, which when I was growing up used to be 2 quarts just like the book says it should be, first dropped to 1.75 qts and now has dropped to 1.5 qts. Won't be long til it's down to a couple of scoops. Still, the major diary outlet chain in our area has signs on the windows advertising Half Gallon prices, never mind that it isn't really a half gallon.

But there's no inflation. The Bernank says so. Must be true.