How would you handle this awkward situation?

Consider it a price increase.

I grew up on a farm and cows give less milk during the summer. So they might just not have enough to fill the orders and are shorting everyone. At least here going from eating grass to hay made them produce less.

Can’t you buy it from somewhere else. Like a military farm where they would have a proper measuring system etc?

Maybe there isn’t enough milk to go around this now? And their prices are going up as a result of it?
I would just ask again though. Because you don’t want to be paying for what you’re not getting..

Technically you should ask them directly and pay exactly for what you are actually getting. However, two things come into play here. One, this delivery is very convenient because as you said you don’t know anyone else that does it nearby. So, you are paying for convenience too. The other, you like these people, they are your friends and you don’t want to risk the friendship by some kind of misunderstanding. There is a chance they get offended (you have already ask them to look into it) and the situation can get really awkward or in the worst scenario they can break the arrangement. Weigh all these things and make your decision knowing that you can’t have it all.

What stops you from providing your own containers?

I would just tell them that 2.5 is not enough and you need 3. they’ll know what you mean.

If they are friends it should be easy to say “I am not getting three liters of milk. Has the price gone up or what?”

The thing is it is not a price hike because they’ve been proving me less milk for a long time now and I do pay by the litre. It’s not a fixed price. We decided on these terms earlier.

Secondly, they have in this last week sent me a written note saying they have decided to increase their price due to general inflation. So clearly the less milk was not due to any price hike or less production because in the latter case they would have charged me less.

I think @Hypocrisy_Central you are right, I’ll try to find a container which has the amounts marked on the sides. I hope that settles it.

@perspicacious they aren’t exactly such close friends.

@sarahhhhh If they aren’t friends then I would say ” Why am I not getting the amount of milk for which I am paying?”

You can tell them in a nice but assertive way that you are not getting the required amount of milk. Being friends with them shouldn’t be an obstacle in this situation, just say what is on your mind and that should solve the problem….but don’t be too aggressive
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