Only by back calculation! I’ve made comment as follows. Apologies for the added details and context.
No I don’t have retrospective pack and store label pictures. Or boxes of old shopper dockets, so it’s down to memory. We would all have more if Heinz had warned us a year ahead of it’s plans. It takes time to order all the factory upgrades to handle the change in can sizes, labels, packing equipment etc etc. And get the supermarkets on board.
The lead up to the increase in unit cost has been effectively disguised with lots of weekly price changes (at Woolies per our experience) on the 2017 can sizes. Even the old regular price varied if memory is correct?
Then the surprise of the new cans. A smaller one labelled to suggest just the right size for two, and a larger ‘more value’ can. Trickery, that even Russel Howcroft might find difficult to explain away? Are Heinz products only responding to consumer demands? Or is it share holder value? Noted the cost of navy/haricot beans varies, however these are like water in a coke bottle, the beans cost less raw in bulk than the packaging.
The prior standard cans on special at $1.00 each by rough maths would have been $2.35 per kg. The new larger value cans at $2.00 on special at $3.60 per kg, or regular $3.50 a can is $6.30 per kg!
The old standard can price from memory flipped around a bit. Typically $2.00 (actually $1.99 but I have always rounded up to lock out the price mind games). So $4.71 per kg. However I also recollect other variations in every day pricing including $1.50 at one particular store. In any month we would likely use at least three different stores in three totally different sites.
Given retail margins (profit as a percentage of total turn over, not markup on factory door price) are supposedly as low as 3%, you have to wonder. We had only ever purchased beans when on special. Expect most others did too. We’ve changed brands and do without the added ham style flavouring. They are a staple like milk and eggs, hence there is some keen interest in the price.
More than happy to see the photo evidence and facts from Woolies and Heinz if they care to speak up?
The logic of a larger standard can should be an overall reduction in unit price. Not evident here. I also remember a double standard size can (800gm approx?) in the old range from Heinz, but it rarely seemed good value. It was always more economical to buy two of the 425gm cans on special. This old larger can was priced at around $3.49 with specials rare.
Per my suggestion noted by Brendan unless as consumers we have a collective tool to acquire and share price vs product details there is no hard history for us to rely on. Unless you can turn an industry insider to an agent for consumer good!
We suspect something similar with the small tins of sauce with fish bits that were often 4 for $4.00 regular price $1.99 or even $2.49 each. We just choose larger cans of plain tuna or salmon and add sauces to suit.
