Everyone knows what inflation is, but what about shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is the practice used by food manufacturers to combat the rising cost of food without increasing the price of their products on the shelves.
While that may sound like a good thing for the consumer, it is actually quite the opposite.
Most of us have come to accept the fact that gas costs more now than it did at this point last year. We may not like it, but we still pay for it or buy an electric vehicle. That being said, we still notice when the price increases, even if it’s only by a few cents.
However, most food items are getting smaller while remaining the same price.
That again sounds like a good thing, but the fact of the matter is, we are getting less and less food for the same price, and most people haven’t noticed.
The practice was first brought into the national spotlight in 2007 when actor B.J. Novak was on The Tonight Show. He brought with him a Cadbury Egg he had from a few years prior, and one he bought that year. The one he bought most recently was noticeably smaller than the older one.
That spurred online sleuths to compare other products.
Over the past couple of years, the average bag of Doritos has shrunk not its physical size, but in the amount of chips in the bag from 9 and ¾ oz to 9 and ¼ oz. This equates to roughly five chips per bag.
You can see another example here. Take a look at these two boxes of Frosted Mini-Wheats. The one on the left is older than the one on the right.
Did you notice anything? How about if we add these arrows?
Kellogg’s has reduced the amount of cereal in the box by 50 grams, or 7.14%, while still charging the same amount.
Food producers will cite increased food costs for the change, but when the cost for the raw products declines, the size of the products remains unchanged.
This deceptive practice has been going on for years.
You can see numerous examples by visiting Reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/.
The best way for the public to combat this tactic is by calling out these companies on social media.
The only way for the public to instill real change in major corporations is by hitting them where it hurts the corporations the most, in their bottom line.
