Canned Tuna Ripoff

[statusquobuster]

A very large source of fish for Americans is canned tuna, a billion dollar annual market. Yet this product has undergone serious changes over the years, most of which are distasteful literally and figuratively.

Right now, in these hard economic times, the change that is most galling is the sleazy reduction in weight from 6 ounces to 5 ounces for the most common size product. That equates to a 17 percent reduction in weight, that few consumers probably have noticed in the past few months. Indeed, you may still find older cans that have 6 ounces, as I did recently. Of course, prices were not reduced. Indeed, you may be paying more for the smaller cans unless you are a smart shopper looking for good sales.


Read more: "Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn" -

Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn

 

[Zoom-boing]

This is nothing new. I've noticed this for years at the supermarket. Eventually, we'll all be buying empty cans and bags.

 

[Sarah G]

Cans of tuna are very cheap. They have to make money somehow and one ounce of tuna wouldn't even be a satisfactory bite.

It's like 99 cents a can.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Cans of tuna are very cheap. They have to make money somehow and one ounce of tuna wouldn't even be a satisfactory bite.

It's like 99 cents a can.

99 cents? Where do you live? I pay $1.29 unless they have a '10 for $10' type sale. We don't eat much tuna anymore . . . too much mercury in it.

 

[AllieBaba]

Solid white albacore only, folks.

Costs around $2.00 a can here.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Solid white albacore only, folks.

Costs around $2.00 a can here.

I forgot there was 'chunk light' tuna. I only buy the solid white too. Maybe that's why Sarah G pays 99 cents/can.

Yikes, $2/can? I guess I shouldn't yap about $1.29/can huh?

 

[AllieBaba]

No way. I live in the sticks. Anything in a can is expensive.

The cheap tuna is mostly water. And who knows what else.

 

[Sarah G]

No way. I live in the sticks. Anything in a can is expensive.

The cheap tuna is mostly water. And who knows what else.

I like the one packed in olive oil. I bought it last time 5 for $5.

$2.00 is way too much for 6 oz. of tuna. Or 5 oz.

 

[AllieBaba]

Yes, it's sad, but I live far off the beaten path.

 

[auditor0007]

Cans of tuna are very cheap. They have to make money somehow and one ounce of tuna wouldn't even be a satisfactory bite.

It's like 99 cents a can.

I've noticed, over the last few years, that even the name brand tuna has become really crappy. It used to be that you got chunks of tuna. Now you just get a bunch of strands. The best tuna I've found is actually Kroger's store brand. It's better than Starkist, Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, or any others. You actually get chunks of tuna in their cans.

The price for Kroger brand tuna is cheaper too. However, it has gone up. Last year, I was paying .52 per can. It's now up to .73 per can. That's an increase of 40%.

 

[auditor0007]

Solid white albacore only, folks.

Costs around $2.00 a can here.

The albacore tuna has the highest levels of mercury. The regular light tuna in water has the lowest levels. If you eat the albacore, don't eat it more than once per month.

Other fish with high levels of mercury include Sea Bass, Orange Roughy, Swordfish, Shark, Grouper, and certain types of tuna. The following link has a list of types of fish with lower levels of mercury.

ONE IN FOUR NYC ADULTS HAS ELEVATED BLOOD MERCURY LEVELS

You can still safely eat fish with higher levels of mercury. Just keep the portions small and don't eat them more than once a month; that means one type with high mercury levels per month. I love Sea Bass and Orange Roughy, so we eat one of the two during the course of a month. The rest of the time we eat those that are much lower in mercury.

 

[Dis]

A very large source of fish for Americans is canned tuna, a billion dollar annual market. Yet this product has undergone serious changes over the years, most of which are distasteful literally and figuratively.

Right now, in these hard economic times, the change that is most galling is the sleazy reduction in weight from 6 ounces to 5 ounces for the most common size product. That equates to a 17 percent reduction in weight, that few consumers probably have noticed in the past few months. Indeed, you may still find older cans that have 6 ounces, as I did recently. Of course, prices were not reduced. Indeed, you may be paying more for the smaller cans unless you are a smart shopper looking for good sales.


Read more: "Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn" -

Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn

Well, NOW what does one do with all those recipes that call for a 6oz can of tuna?

 

[del]

A very large source of fish for Americans is canned tuna, a billion dollar annual market. Yet this product has undergone serious changes over the years, most of which are distasteful literally and figuratively.

Right now, in these hard economic times, the change that is most galling is the sleazy reduction in weight from 6 ounces to 5 ounces for the most common size product. That equates to a 17 percent reduction in weight, that few consumers probably have noticed in the past few months. Indeed, you may still find older cans that have 6 ounces, as I did recently. Of course, prices were not reduced. Indeed, you may be paying more for the smaller cans unless you are a smart shopper looking for good sales.


Read more: "Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn" -

Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn

Well, NOW what does one do with all those recipes that call for a 6oz can of tuna?

sextuple them and use 6 fives instead of 5 sixes.
maybe not.

 

[Sarah G]

Cans of tuna are very cheap. They have to make money somehow and one ounce of tuna wouldn't even be a satisfactory bite.

It's like 99 cents a can.

I've noticed, over the last few years, that even the name brand tuna has become really crappy. It used to be that you got chunks of tuna. Now you just get a bunch of strands. The best tuna I've found is actually Kroger's store brand. It's better than Starkist, Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, or any others. You actually get chunks of tuna in their cans.

The price for Kroger brand tuna is cheaper too. However, it has gone up. Last year, I was paying .52 per can. It's now up to .73 per can. That's an increase of 40%.

I agree that the taste has not been as good as it used to be. I switched to the kind packed in olive oil for that reason. I wanted it to taste like it used to. You have to really squeeze the oil out of it and use less mayo but it is much better than the kind packed in water.

I love Kroger. Since I moved to this small town for my work, I haven't been able to find a convenient one. I usually go to IGA which is more expensive but they have great veggies like Kroger does.

 

[dilloduck]

A very large source of fish for Americans is canned tuna, a billion dollar annual market. Yet this product has undergone serious changes over the years, most of which are distasteful literally and figuratively.

Right now, in these hard economic times, the change that is most galling is the sleazy reduction in weight from 6 ounces to 5 ounces for the most common size product. That equates to a 17 percent reduction in weight, that few consumers probably have noticed in the past few months. Indeed, you may still find older cans that have 6 ounces, as I did recently. Of course, prices were not reduced. Indeed, you may be paying more for the smaller cans unless you are a smart shopper looking for good sales.


Read more: "Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn" -

Canned Tuna Review by Joel Hirschhorn

Well, NOW what does one do with all those recipes that call for a 6oz can of tuna?

sextuple them and use 6 fives instead of 5 sixes.
maybe not.

Sardines in mustard sauce are awesome

 

[KittenKoder]

I just buy the dolphin ridden stuff ... cheaper and tastier for some reason.

 

[editec]

I see this price increasing by merchandizing technique being played out in all sorts of canned and prepared foods.

A bag of potato chips that was about a buck a few years ago, is about two bucks now, because it's on sale, but the label says that those bags will be $2.59 eventually

First they decrease the weight, but keep the same price.

Then, they increase the weight back to what it was, and increase the price, but put it on sale to get people used to seeing the higher price, but not paying for it.

Then eventually the sales stop and the price has increased permanently.

They'll repeat that merhcandizing technique over and over and over again because they don't want to lose market share, but they must increase their prices.

 

[Sarah G]

I just buy the dolphin ridden stuff ... cheaper and tastier for some reason.

All of it is likely dolphin ridden.

 

[KittenKoder]

I just buy the dolphin ridden stuff ... cheaper and tastier for some reason.

All of it is likely dolphin ridden.

Yeah, but you pay more for the labels that mention "feel good" slogans, like "dolphin safe" or "fat free' or "healthy" ... none of those labels are ever true, but they charge a lot more for those words. I'm just bored right now so don't mind my ravings.

 

[LiveUninhibited]

I just buy the dolphin ridden stuff ... cheaper and tastier for some reason.

All of it is likely dolphin ridden.

Yeah, but you pay more for the labels that mention "feel good" slogans, like "dolphin safe" or "fat free' or "healthy" ... none of those labels are ever true, but they charge a lot more for those words. I'm just bored right now so don't mind my ravings.

Tuna doesn't have much fat, and the fat it does have includes the better kind. Any of the solid white albacore in water taste good to me. The other stuff tastes like wet catfood smells.

I also only mix it with light miracle whip. I can't stand mayo. Typically I dip the sandwiches in tomato soup.