Why are mini portions so damn expensive?

[heders]

Can someone answer that? Because I can't undersand... yesterday I bought a can of Göteborgs Rapé Mini in my regular store for $5,6. That's an insane price to pay when there's 10 grams of snus and, on top of it all, 4 less portions than regular portion cans. What is it that costs so much? The can can't be expensive either since it's the tiniest shit I've ever seen. I want to cut down on nicotine, but the prizing doesn't make me want to, and frankly doesn't make sense.

[sgreger1]

Mini's are a rip off. You are paying the same (or more) for less snus, plain and simple.

[crullers]

I wonder if it's because people who want mini portions are mostly ones who do not want regular size portions since the mins are more discreet. For this reason the companies can get away with charging top dollar for them since they will buy the minis no matter what. For instance, my wife won't go out of the house with a regular portion in because she thinks she looks funny with a bulging lip. But she always has minis.

[lxskllr]

They're charging per piece rather than weight. That's not an unreasonable way of looking at it. Also, much of the cost is in making them in the first place. The cost to the company I bet is very close between the 2 styles. For the tax issue, they probably keep the minis priced higher to maintain price parity between their brands. In the end, it's what they determined the market will bear. The companies aren't your friend. They'd charge $100 per tin if they thought they'd sell it at that price.

[heders]

Mini's are a rip off. You are paying the same (or more) for less snus, plain and simple.

A total rip off and a very ugly trick from the manufacturer (SM in my case). It's as crazy as paying almost the same price for 15 cigarettes which are the length of a cigarette butt.

I wonder if it's because people who want mini portions are mostly ones who do not want regular size portions since the mins are more discreet. For this reason the companies can get away with charging top dollar for them since they will buy the minis no matter what. For instance, my wife won't go out of the house with a regular portion in because she thinks she looks funny with a bulging lip. But she always has minis.

Yeah, it sells even regarding the price. That's what's kind of BS. I don't really care about discreteness (even though I think sometimes it's nice), but for us who want to cut back on nicotine, there isn't really another option besides using small lös prillas (which IMO is impossible in the long run... I always make monster ones). I can cut regular portions in half, but when I leave half of the portion in the can, it spills. BUT, if I were to seal the portions shut in some way, I could get 48 mini portions per regular large portion can. I'm almost considering it, but it's a lot of work.

[heders]

They're charging per piece rather than weight. That's not an unreasonable way of looking at it. Also, much of the cost is in making them in the first place. The cost to the company I bet is very close between the 2 styles. For the tax issue, they probably keep the minis priced higher to maintain price parity between their brands. In the end, it's what they determined the market will bear. The companies aren't your friend. They'd charge $100 per tin if they thought they'd sell it at that price.

Ahh, yeah, that sounds about right. Thanks for clearing it up. It sucks for the customers though...



EDIT: Any tips on how to seal portions if I cut them? Needle and thread? Clothing iron?

[lxskllr]

EDIT: Any tips on how to seal portions if I cut them? Needle and thread? Clothing iron?

I'd try leaving them open ended. Push the snus to each end, cut it in the middle. I don't know if it would work, but that would be easiest. You could also try a glue. I don't know what kind, but a search for "food grade glue" should give you something.

You could also try burning through it, and it /may/ cauterize the hole. Teabag material has a poly coating if I'm not mistaken. If that melted together, it might hold. Use a cheap knife, and heat it up to try. A torch on the blade would be easiest if you have one. If that almost works, you could try a hot iron on the edge so you heat up more area.

Alternatively, you could make your own from lössnus. I tried it with used teabags, and it worked pretty well. I didn't use it extensively since I don't like portions much, but I was interested in the concept.

[lxskllr]

EDIT: Any tips on how to seal portions if I cut them? Needle and thread? Clothing iron?

I'd try leaving them open ended. Push the snus to each end, cut it in the middle. I don't know if it would work, but that would be easiest. You could also try a glue. I don't know what kind, but a search for "food grade glue" should give you something.

You could also try burning through it, and it /may/ cauterize the hole. Teabag material has a poly coating if I'm not mistaken. If that melted together, it might hold. Use a cheap knife, and heat it up to try. A torch on the blade would be easiest if you have one. If that almost works, you could try a hot iron on the edge so you heat up more area.

Alternatively, you could make your own from lössnus. I tried it with used teabags, and it worked pretty well. I didn't use it extensively since I don't like portions much, but I was interested in the concept.

[Darwin]

The reason manufacturers stiff us on mini portion counts is because we let them. If enough people stop buying them then they will be forced to change--and not one minute before. It's their privilege to charge whatever they want and our privilege to refuse to play along. It does rather smack of a slight conspiracy that all companies treat minis this way but I suspect it's more that a given company can see the others getting away with it and thus are fairly sure thay can as well.

What is surprising is that none of the companies have broken out of this tawdry little game of gouging and has offered, say, a 26-28 portion count tin of minis, at the same price as regular portions, as an advertising come-on. With good product they could steal away a nice chunk of market share I'm thinking.

[Joe234]

They're charging per piece rather than weight. That's not an unreasonable way of looking at it. Also, much of the cost is in making them in the first place. The cost to the company I bet is very close between the 2 styles. For the tax issue, they probably keep the minis priced higher to maintain price parity between their brands. In the end, it's what they determined the market will bear. The companies aren't your friend. They'd charge $100 per tin if they thought they'd sell it at that price.

Right. No one complains about low tar and nicotine cigs.

[devilock76]

The advantage of los. You can "make" a mini for so much less than buying minis. However if los is not an option I find Thunder Long portions to be very discreet as far as lip bulge.

Ken

[precious007]

baby's clothes are more expensive than adult clothing too :-)

they're more difficult to produce lol