by Many of you know that I have an undergrad in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. One of my favorite parts of my degree was studying consumer pricing, sales techniques, and strategies. I also did an internship at the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs in advertising. All of that to say, I pay CLOSE attention to advertised pricing.
I have noticed a new trend in pricing. Many consumers believe that buying larger packages saves you money, but I have been noticing that is not always the case these days.
Exhibit A
Colgate Toothpaste at Walgreens
An individual 6oz tube costs $3.99 (83.1 cents/oz)
OR Two 5.8oz tubes cost $8.99 (88.1 cents/oz)
Exhibit B
Swiffer Wet Jet Cleaner at Publix
One 42.2oz container: $4.49 (10.64 cents/oz)
Two 42.2oz containers: $9.99 (11.84 cents/oz)
The moral of the story: compare prices! If two times the individual price is cheaper than the double package, then buy two singles. Don’t just assume you are getting a price break by buying two! I also didn’t realize until writing this post that the double packages can actually contain smaller amounts per unit… so be sure to factor that in too!
learn, brooke
brooke's brain 
I’d be interested to know if this is specific to Publix. I have found them to be the most “shady” when it comes to these tactics. Their math on the Swiffer example isn’t even correct. $4.49+$4.49=$8.98. Great that you are calling attention to this. No one likes getting bamboozled!
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The Colgate example is from Walgreens! My Publix is really bad about taking down old sale signs. If I go shopping on Wednesday (the new sale day) and pick up something because the sign says it’s BOGO, it often won’t ring up that way. So, they will go check, see the sale sign and give it to me for free. It’s a bit of a hassle at check out, but getting free smoked salmon (most recent example) is worth it!
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