Downsizing on the way up-but at what cost to brands?
Brands are struggling for ways to manage costs. But instead of creative methods, many have been reducing product contents and, frequently, retooling packaging so the tactic goes under shoppers' radar.
Other responses included raising the prices of existing items proportionally (8 percent); offering fewer sales (8 percent); offering the same number of sales, but at less of a savings (7 percent); and producing slightly lower quality products, but keeping the price the same (4 percent).