Sarah Whyte November 3, 2013 The Sydney Morning Herald Pasta sauce jars are getting lighter, man-size tissues have shrunk and chocolate bars have lost weight. Food and product manufacturers are reducing the size of their food portions and products but still charging customers the same prices, in what consumer groups say is a bid to expand their profits. Kleenex man-size tissues were awarded a Shonky award last week by consumer group Choice for shrinking their tissues by 14 per cent, despite charging the same amount, about $4. ”They had a well-established brand around man-size and it meant a certain size tissue, and then without telling consumers they have shrunk the tissues,” Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said. ”A small reduction in the size of a popular product can result in big savings.” In June, Dolmio began to reduce its pasta sauce jar size by 75 millilitres, with parent company Mars justifying…

John Rolfe November 07, 2013 News Limited Network AS part of Canberra’s war on shopper dockets, petrol stations across Australia face a ban on only displaying the discounted price of fuel. At a meeting of federal, state and territory consumer affairs ministers on Thursday it was agreed that a “national information standard” would be developed and that they would vote on it, most likely before April next year. The ministers – and motoring groups – believe there is confusion about fuel price boards. Their key concern is advertising of discount prices linked to supermarket shopper dockets. Under the information standard, only full prices could be displayed, although the size of any discount could be promoted. “It is a positive step in terms of supporting competition in the fuel retailing market,” said federal Small Business Minister Bruce Billson, who also has responsibility for consumer affairs and competition matters in the Abbott…

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to build its first convenience store in the same town as its headquarters, according to a Northwest Arkansas Business Journal report. The new c-store will be built at the northwest corner of Arkansas Highway 102 and South Walton Boulevard, on a 2.01-acre site the company purchased for $4.5 million in September. It will offer gas, snacks and beverages along with staples such as milk, bread and eggs. “We know this type of convenience store is popular with customers,” said Walmart spokeswoman Deisha Barnett. “We’re excited about the opportunity to test a new store and learn.” There are no current plans to build additional Walmart c-stores, Barnett added.

Not a particularly funny story – petrol theft costs our industry over $30million annually. Thanks to the NSW police for following this up. Alison Stephenson November 08, 2013 news.com.au THE early starts have clearly gotten the better of breakfast television host Natarsha Belling this week who was contacted by police yesterday after driving off without paying for a tank of petrol at a Sydney service station. The Ten Wake Up host was exposed as a “thief” on air this morning when news anchor Matt Doran told viewers there had been a “major robbery in Sydney”. Doran read out a “press release from NSW police” on the breakfast show in a mock breaking news segment in an attempt to stitch up the experienced host. “A reasonably popular Australian celebrity has been embroiled in a bizarre scandal which centres around a meticulous and very well planned case of daylight petrol theft,” Doran…