I was in a supermarket recently, having trouble finding my favorite margarine. I looked in the refrigerated display case but didn’t see my margarine’s familiar, bowl-shaped container. All the margarine containers I saw resembled overweight Dixie cups.

I was vaguely aware that other margarine brands had switched to those squat, cup-like containers. I just didn’t know mine had.

But then I saw my usual margarine was now also in one of those squat cups. I carefully read the printing on the container. I wanted to make sure it was my brand, and it was. The only difference I noticed was it said “15 oz” instead of “16 oz.”

It was my usual margarine, but it wasn’t its usual weight. It wasn’t a full pound, although the price was still the same: $2.99. This was another case of camouflaged price hiking. I’d have to pay the same price, but I’d get less margarine. That means, in fact, its price was raised.

I checked other brands of margarine in the case. All the similar-sized containers held only 15 ounces. I guessed my brand was a Johnny-come-lately to the price-rise party.

I assume the margarine executives hoped we wouldn’t notice they’d shaved off an ounce. Their subterfuge reminded me of a 1983 Frank and Ernest cartoon. It shows the pair following an arrow above a sign that reads, “The Cowards Way Out. Watch Your Step.”

And it isn’t just the margarine people who try to hide their price increases. A few months ago, I noticed the smallest bags of potatoes no longer contain five pounds. They now hold just four.

I doubt the potato packers switched to four-pound bags to make them easier for us to carry. I also doubt they worried that we couldn’t use five pounds fast enough to keep some from spoiling. I strongly suspect they hoped a lot of us wouldn’t notice they’d actually raised their per-pound price.

Such camouflaged price increases are nothing new. Back in January 2008, I wrote a column about the Quilted Northern people cutting a half an inch off the width of their toilet paper. Thus, we got less paper for our money.

Stores and food packages are scientifically designed to get as much of our money as possible. I wouldn’t call it a war, but it is a contest. If we come in with a plan — a list — and read the food labels, we’ll usually hold our own.

Reach Phil Dirkx at phild2008@sbcglobal.net or 238-2372.