Tip Top downsizes ice cream containers

ROSS GIBLIN/Dominion Post

SMALLER TREATS: Grace Vintiner, 3, from Newlands with a Tip Top ice cream cone. The iconic Kiwi brand has slashed the size of some of its ice cream containers by 20 percent.

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In the aftermath of the outcry over Cadbury downsizing its chocolate bars, iconic Kiwi brand Tip Top has slashed the size of some of its ice cream containers by 20 percent.

Tip Top says the decision was made following market research carried out last year.

Tip Top marketing manager Trish Whitwell said the research showed different flavours were used on different occasions, with classics such as Vanilla and Chocolate seen as every-day flavours while others such as Goody Goody Gum Drops and Gone Fishin' were seen as "treats".

Consumers said that they want more of the "great-tasting extra bits", eg more jelly in Jelly Tip, Tip Top said on its website. "So we have improved the inclusions and reduced the size slightly to allow us to hold prices flat."

The changes, in effect since late October, had not had any impact on sales and there had been little feedback from customers, Ms Whitwell said.

Tip Top had no plans to make any further changes at this stage, she said.

"We have received very few questions (less than 10) from members of the public about the changes to the range."

So far, Goody Goody Gum Drops, Jelly Tip, Monkey Business and Gone Fishin' now come in the 1.6 litre containers while the everyday flavours remain in 2 litre containers. They cost around $5.88 at supermarkets.

Ms Whitwell said everyday flavours such as vanilla had, price-wise, been 'carrying' the rewards flavours for a while.

"In our view the changes we have made are the fairest way to correct that.

"If all the pack sizes had stayed the same, the price of all products including favourites would have gone up, and Tip Top didn't think that was fair on New Zealand families," she said.

Consumer.org.nz spokeswoman Libby Manley said they were aware of the change but had not received any complaints from consumers "though may do as people catch on that some flavours... have decreased in size by 400ml".

"Downsizing a pack while keeping the price the same is a common way of disguising a price hike," she said.

She said Tip Top's claim to have increased the value by adding "more exciting bits" meant the value for money may not have been reduced by as much, however they had not been able to measure that for themselves.

"When we checked the supermarkets a few weeks ago the old two litre packs of Goody Goody Gumdrops had been removed before the new packs came in so we couldn't compare the gumdrop content."

Tip Top said no other changes had been made to its recipe.

In July Cadbury sparked a public outcry when it reduced the size of its king-size block of Dairy Milk dropped from 250g to just 200g - also a 20 percent reduction, and substituted cocoa butter with palm oil.

The price of the chocolate remained the same.

Cadbury had since stopped using palm oil.

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R Hammond   #236   09:07 pm Nov 29 2009

What consumers where asked? Not me. The only reason I don't buy more of the "Flavours" range is because the supermarket doesn't have it when I go in to buy icecream, so I end up buying something else.

And honestly, do we really want more jelly in Jelly Tip? Anymore and it's be all Jelly, no Tip.

Come on Tip Top - stop treating your consumers like idiots. We know what game you are playing.

Angela   #235   09:37 am Nov 29 2009

I am also upset about the new size. But worsed of all I read the ingrediants and found palm oil. Not in my book as an "ice cream" ingrediant.

Saffy   #234   11:24 pm Nov 27 2009

#181 - where do you get your facts from?! Tip Top IS Fonterra - why don't you check your facts before spouting off?!

http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/our+products/consumer+brands/our+brands/tip+top/tip+top

Kylie   #233   11:22 pm Nov 27 2009

No matter what Tip Top did people would complain. Prices always rise and consumers don't stand for continuous price hikes so Tip Top tried something else. It's ice cream for goodness sake, get over it! At least it is still real ice cream and not full of vegetable fat which would make it cheaper but would taste like crap! How about Tip Top just absorb all the price rises themselves and end up making a contribution to the unemployment benefit? No thanks!

Emma   #232   10:28 pm Nov 27 2009

Hagen Dazs.

Ben & Jerry's.

Get those two brands here and Tip Slop will sink without trace.

Andre   #231   08:51 pm Nov 27 2009

I agree bit of a whine but if u want it pay for it it does stop people getting fat and re:219 "tiptop 2L tubs were $5.29 and the 1.6L tubs $5.99" charging more for less huh

guy   #230   04:24 pm Nov 27 2009

you're all a bunch of losers

Robert   #229   02:58 pm Nov 27 2009

I too have been watching for months package sizes falling and prices still rising, at the end of the day company's are trying to increase their profit's. That's business folks. If you feel strongly about it don't buy their product. I've chosen not to buy Cadbury's. Anyhow I think everyone has over-looked Griffins products they've been decreasing there packet sizes for ages and their prices have been steadily rising. They've just changed their Choc chippies range. Twin pak 400g now 320g that's 80g's less and the price remains the same. Single pak 240g now 200g.

Jeremy   #228   02:33 pm Nov 27 2009

Re #108 - so if Tip Top did what the petrol companies do and increased the price 5% a week for 8 weeks, you'd be happier? Get over it!

Richard   #227   01:25 pm Nov 27 2009

quite funny reading, shows a lack of facts by so many. Tip Top have reduced the size of a few flavours so they could increase the amount of lollies in those brands without increasing the price. Personally I have no problem with that. btw, 30,000 children die each day from starvation, and most of your are moaning about the price and size of ice cream, pathetic.

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