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Comment by isoskeles | Hacker News Reader

I'm waiting to see us come up with clever ways to shrinkflate food that is priced in weight (e.g. $6.99/lb).

Perhaps we can create some new, arbitrary unit of weight will be created, like ib, Ib, llb, ld, etc. that looks like a typo and tricks my mind into thinking I am getting a deal on a pound (lb) of ground beef when I am actually buying less of it. Bonus points if the unit of weight is not constant, fluctuating week after week based on market conditions, maybe tied to some new digital currency.

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That's actually how traditional weights and measures used to work. Tithes and taxes owed to the lord were set out in age-old contracts that even the lord couldn't change, with things like "ten pounds of grain" written in the contract.

But the lord controlled the legal measures and would adjust the length of a foot, volume of a gallon, and weight of a pound as suited the conditions. The measurements would consequently vary between one feudal domain and the next, as well as over time.

This is why the metric system, which promised standardized, invariant, and universal measures, was hailed as a win for the people during the French Revolution.

Poultry and fish are often injected with water in the processing chain. You notice it when you want to fry your fish and it quickly turns into cooking/steaming instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumping

Similarly, there's a chemical - sodium tripolyphosphate - which some producers add to scallops, that causes them to absorb more moisture so they can sell you fewer at the same price, as they're also sold by weight.

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/1875-why-you-shoul...

Chicken too. It often comes to the grocery store "brined."

> us

Please don't conflate us (you, me and most people in general) with those who actually do this. I certainly wouldn't do this and the idea that it's "us" really is kind of insulting.

We might be one humanity, but we're not equally responsible for all the shit, lies and hypocrisy that happens.

Thank you.

I've seen some delis list prices per half pound instead of per pound

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