Has Dawn changed its formula?

My wife and I tend not to be brand loyal people, although there are a few things we do tend to stick with. Rain-X windshield washer fluid, for example. It works great and I like the way it beads rain on the windshield. We also prefer Cottonelle brand toilet paper.

Years ago, we also stuck with Dawn dishwashing detergent. We had used several brands before it, and nothing would last as long in the sink or bust down grease better than Dawn, hands down.

But I think over the years they must have changed the formula, because I have not been impressed. The soap doesn't last as long through a round of dishes and barely cuts grease like it used to. In fact, it is quite noticeable how much less effective Dawn is at cutting grease than it used to be.

It can't just be my imagination. It is quite a noticeable difference. I should note that I started seeing this difference before inflation, so I don't necessarily think "shrinkflation" in the sense that they have watered down the product to increase margins is the cause.

This was an intentional effort to change the product but still sell it and market it as the same product. But I don't think it is.

As a result, Dawn dishwashing detergent has pretty much lost our business, and we will switch to a cheaper value brand from now on. We were willing to pay the premium for the brand name because it worked. But if the product no longer works, it's not worth the added cost. Plain and simple.

Businesses do these things and have this idea that customers will not notice the changes. But we do. And when we are sure changes were made, we make changes as well to our buying habits, and it seems to me that businesses should be aware of this.

It takes years to build a loyal customer but only seconds to lose one.

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© Jim Bauer