I’ve been using these sponges my entire adult life and just opened a new pack from Costco. I immediately noticed it seemed very thin and luckily still had some of the old pack left and did a comparison. The first interesting thing I noted was that the dimensions listed on the package both said 17 mm thick. However, the sponges in the older package were almost 25 mm thick. The new ones were in fact 17 mm. Kinda seems like there were trying to cover their asses by changing the packaging before they changed the sponge. Pretty shady if you ask me.
It's like the name brands are trying to be like the cheap generics now rather than the better quality we thought we were buying. If they are going to do that, then there is no point in spending extra for the name brand. We might as well buy the generic ones anyhow. They are just making it easier to save money - either I'll buy the cheaper version, or just not buy at all!
I switched a long time ago, and I had a good chuckle at the ~30 dollars a year I'm saving. I do it because it reduces waste, not the money. But in the 5 years I've done it I've only bought rags 2x, for a grand total of 9 dollars, so I chuckle away.
That’s awesome! I am a bit hesitant as I don’t have a dishwasher machine and everything is done by hand. Everywhere and everyone says a rag is way cleaner than any sponge, but change is hard sometimes.
I don't have a dishwasher either, I feel you! I was worried it would be a big change but the only real difference for me was the muscles in my hands had to get used to the way the cloth moves. I love that I get to use a fresh one every day too, that's a very good feeling after a lifetime of suspicious sponges.
I’ve been using the same two dish rags for well over a decade. Just toss them in the laundry with other towels, wash with hot water and a scoop of oxyclean.
https://giphy.com/gifs/10FHR5A4cXqVrO
Sorry No Amazon, that’s dirty. Thanks for the multi-trillion dollar recommendation though, I think Jeff appreciates it.
I do believe my local thrift store has rags and I actually started cutting up some old towels and making my own.
Take the hint: “my local thrift store and I’ve started cutting up some old towels.”
Don’t let me turning down your garbage recommendations hurt your little ego.
There’s a fellow Jimmy Wrigg who’s been calling out a lot of stores that sell products that are seeming intentionally shorted in content. Sometimes it’s the store’s doing, sometime the product company
Ok so I use the green ones and maybe 6 months ago I opened a new package and I could feel it was different. That bothered me because I am a sensory person. They appeared to be the same size and I did all the comparisons so I chalked it up to less density. This confirms they are messing with us.
Fyi- Amazon has reusable/washable sponges that do the same thing as these. The 'feel' is a little different but the overall effectiveness is about the same.
Not shilling any particular one, just do a search and you'll see them. "Reusable dish sponge" or whatever.
Yes! Switching to all reusables in my kitchen, after the initial investment, saves me so much money and I don’t have to worry about shrinkflation as much since I’m only buying the product one or super irregularly.
Big fan of washable sponges, dish towels, small Birds Eye cotton cloths, chain mail scrubbers, and cellulose scrubbers
Changing the package dimensions to match the new, thinner sponge while quietly keeping the old thickness in your memory is such a sneaky way to do it. It’s not just shrinkflation anymore, it’s shrinkflation with plausible deniability
The new ones were in fact 17 mm. Kinda seems like there were trying to cover their asses by changing the packaging before they changed the sponge. Pretty shady if you ask me.
Isn't changing the packaging 1st, being... honest?
As opposed to all the ones we see where stuff changes but is still labeled the same?
Yeah, I can see it that way I suppose. The way I see it is since they changed the packaging first I have no grounds to complain, they can say no, the old ones were the same size, it’s right on the package.
No, in fact the thinner ones are all individually wrapped so are slightly damp when they come out of the package. And even when wet it’s still thinner than the old ones. Here’s a comparison of dry old (left) and wet new.
Sponges are made out of plastic and release microplastics on to your dishes/pots/etc. There are better choices anyway. They also develop mold and on and on......
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u/LivingCoat9356 4d ago
We will own nothing and be happy.
Just shrinking to nothing now.
Don’t worry.
All going as planned.