Food prices are rapidly increasing as the shelf prices indicate. What is not indicated is the increased materials' waste, unit costs, and pollution due to reduced package sizes. Unless consumers eat less food in proportion to the reduced package sizes, they must buy more packages over time to buy the same quantity. More of consumers' food dollars are buying packaging rather than the food product. What used to be a one-pound box is now 14.7 ounces, net wt (or a similar lowered quantity). What was a quart is now 28 fluid ounces. Now only does one have to buy more packages but also make more trips to the market, spend more time shopping, and consume more gasoline. More garbage is produced, more waste dumps area is filled, more incineration produces more greenhouse gases, smog, and asthma.

I believe that package sizes are unregulated by the federal government, except that the quantities must be shown on the package. The state governments are even less responsible in this sort of regulation.

If you notice, the changes in size have all occurred at once, or as soon as the old sizes are sold off. All of the major food distributors have acted in concert. So much for the "free market"! Also, notice that a reduction in the quantity of a given percent induces a much higher increase in the unit cost of the product than an equal percent increase in price on an unchanged quantity. This is market stealth.

I have not tried to write a comprehensive article on this subject; please excuse me. What I do not notice is any more professional reporters dealing with this subject, which must entail huge costs to the consumer and the environment.