# 1/2 Gallon Milk = $1.85; Full Gallon = $3.94 - Hmmm... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 16, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452 "2008-12-16T20:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/21 "2008-12-16T22:45:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I think it’s legislated in California. All shelf tags have unit pricing by ounce. Man, that would rock. Michigan doesn’t have any standardization. As an example, take… potato chips. One brand will have the price, and then the unit price of $X.XX/oz. Another brand will have the price, and then the unit price of $X.XX/lb. Then yet another will list the unit price as $X.XX/unit (aka THE PRICE OF THE DAMN THING). It’s maddening! ---
**Author:** ![WPA-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WPA-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WPA-Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/22 "2008-12-16T22:47:07Z")
Are the 1/2 gallons in paper cartons? I used to work in a grocery store and the packaging made a large difference in price (paper cartons being cheaper). Even so, milk sold better in the plastic jugs. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/23 "2008-12-16T23:19:37Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Man, that would rock. Michigan doesn’t have any standardization. As an example, take… potato chips. One brand will have the price, and then the unit price of $X.XX/oz. Another brand will have the price, and then the unit price of $X.XX/lb. Then yet another will list the unit price as $X.XX/unit (aka THE PRICE OF THE DAMN THING). It’s maddening! Yeah, that kinda defeats the purpose. If the legislators weren’t careful enough to specify which units to use, grocers can do that to intentionally obscure which products are the truly better deals and which are the rackets. Dirty game the grocery industry. Cutthroat, dirty game. ---
**Author:** ![Goblinboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3be4f8/32.png) [@Goblinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goblinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/24 "2008-12-16T23:33:29Z")
My local Kroger does this all the time with sales on the half gallon jugs that make them notably cheaper then the gallon. And it’s not like no one notices, judging by the fact that the half gallons are cleaned out first while there’s still plenty of gallon jugs of milk left. Is this a midwest thing? There are plenty of dairy farms around and it may make more sense to ship the larger jugs farther away? I’m struggling for a reason on this too. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/25 "2008-12-17T01:02:52Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Check the smaller unit vs. big container as much as you have time to, and you’ll find this disparity all the damn time. Peanut butter is another big offender. > > I HATE IT. I buy large quantities of a lot of things, and it drives me crazy to know the bigger container isn’t always the best value. It’s hard to do the math when you’ve got children in tow. Yep. Sam’s club does this all of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/26 "2008-12-17T01:11:38Z")
I just noticed this with house brand spaghetti. I’m glad I wasn’t insane… ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/27 "2008-12-17T01:14:19Z")
Some stores have their big "10 for $10 sale and one would imagine that there would be a savings since it’s a big ad campaign. Some of the items are canned veggies that usually sell for $.89. It’s amazing to see these items sell out like crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/28 "2008-12-17T01:21:11Z")
When I was in London about… 10 years ago? I noticed that lots of stuff was more expensive per unit in the larger size than the smaller, and nobody seemed to think this was odd. About the only big differences were that space is quite limited in both grocery stores and kitchens over there, and that the U.K. is an island, but I couldn’t work those facts into a working theory as to why prices would be that way. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/29 "2008-12-17T02:17:08Z")
> [@Flutterby](#): > > Not sure about that, I’m going to check the math next time I go shopping but we drink a lot of milk and with not enough room in the fridge I’d rather buy a big one than go to the store more often. But…two half gallons take up about the same space as one gallon, and it’s easier to lift the smaller ones…so you don’t have to make more trips, just buy two…??? ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/30 "2008-12-17T05:21:29Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > But…two half gallons take up about the same space as one gallon, and it’s easier to lift the smaller ones…so you don’t have to make more trips, just buy two…??? It probably would be fine buying two (if it were cheaper, haven’t had a chance to look at yet) but I’m used to one jug and see two as just an extra thing to take out and put back in when I’m trying to fit leftovers into my fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/31 "2008-12-17T05:44:39Z")
I’ve seen that a few times. A local supermarket a couple of years back had 2L bottles of pop on 3 for $4.99. Unit price was $1.50. Right now, in fact, I learned that Taco Bell is selling bean burritos for $2.40. On the other hand, you can get a beef and bean burrito for $1.89. Tards in suits who need to go take a refresher course on grade school math. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/32 "2008-12-17T05:49:25Z")
If you spend any time reading the [Consumerist web site](http://consumerist.com/), there appears to be a trend to up the price on larger quantities. My WAG is we are so conditioned to buying in bulk saves money that manufacturers have decided to play on this long-standing marketing approach and screw the consumer. Another trend is to keep the price the same, keep the physical package the same size, but reduce the actual content amount. You only notice the difference if the weight amount is less than it once was, or something similar. As a slight hijack, but also a similar deception, check the prices of companies going out of business. In particular, CompUSA (now gone), Linens & Things, and Circuit City. The trend is to have a going out of business sale where the price is jacked up, only to have a sign attached cutting it back to the original price. The same consumer web site has stories where a widget that used to cost $1.99 at Circuit City is now at at $3.98, but with a sign saying “50 percent off!” bringing the “sale” price back down to its original price. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/33 "2008-12-17T07:53:18Z")
> [@Mindfield](#): > > Tards in suits who need to go take a refresher course on grade school math. Is it the people in suits who are the tards? Reminds me of the comic of the guy that put up a sign that said, “Apples, 25 cents each or 3 for a dollar”. People would buy two apples, or four apples. Somebody asked the seller, “don’t you realize you’re losing money with your prices like that?” The seller replied, "Before I put up the sign, people were only buying 1 apple! 😉 " ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/34 "2008-12-17T08:18:33Z")
There was a sale recently at Longs Drugs (a pharmacy/small grocery store)… Anyway, I was grabbing some Jose Cuervo for someone. I look at the price for the 750ml bottle and it was $12.99 (on sale)… the 1500ml bottle was $17.99 (NOT on sale)… I began to wonder… What the hell was the regular price for the 750ml… Maybe it was a scam or trick to get people to buy the larger bottle?.. I couldn’t figure that one out. And yes, I bought the larger bottle of course. ---
**Author:** ![CAT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@CAT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAT_1)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/35 "2008-12-17T08:53:54Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > Is it the people in suits who are the tards? Reminds me of the comic of the guy that put up a sign that said, “Apples, 25 cents each or 3 for a dollar”. People would buy two apples, or four apples. Somebody asked the seller, “don’t you realize you’re losing money with your prices like that?” The seller replied, "Before I put up the sign, people were only buying 1 apple! 😉 " Interesting. Maybe that is exactly what they are doing. When I saw that the smaller cans of chicken stock were cheaper than the big box, I think I did grab more cans than I had intended on in the first place. Hmmm I was hoodwinked! ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452/36 "2008-12-17T18:00:16Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > There was a sale recently at Longs Drugs (a pharmacy/small grocery store)… Anyway, I was grabbing some Jose Cuervo for someone. I look at the price for the 750ml bottle and it was $12.99 (on sale)… the 1500ml bottle was $17.99 (NOT on sale)… I began to wonder.. What the hell was the regular price for the 750ml… Are you sure it wasn’t a 1750ml bottle? (which would make even less sense, you’re right) I can’t recall ever seeing a size between a fifth (750ml), a liter, and a handle (1.75L) of Cuervo. > [@CAT\_1](#): > > Interesting. Maybe that is exactly what they are doing. When I saw that the smaller cans of chicken stock were cheaper than the big box, I think I did grab more cans than I had intended on in the first place. Hmmm I was hoodwinked! To be clear, I wasn’t implying that you were a tard. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-2-gallon-milk-1-85-full-gallon-3-94-hmmm/477452.md?page=1)