Tip Top downsizes ice cream containers

BY MICHAEL FOX

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.

- © Fairfax NZ News