For a sequence {Un} ∞ n=1 of finite index subgroups of a direct product G · · = A × B of finitely generated groups, we show that lim n→∞ min{|X| : X = Un} [G : Un] = 0 once [A : A ∩ Un], [B : B ∩ Un] → ∞ as n → ∞. Our proof relies on the classification of finite simple groups. For A, B that are finitely presented we show that lim n→∞ log |Torsion(U ab n )| [G : Un] = 0.