Shrinkflation…It’s the inflation you might not notice. As the dollar shrivels, brands are staving off losses by shrinking containers and/or putting less in them, while selling the products to you at the same price or higher.
Shrinkflation: How companies hide the fact they are giving you less and charging more
What’s a company to do when their costs keep going up but they don’t necessarily want to raise their prices? An insidious little trick that’s now being used to sell you less, while hoping you won’t notice: Shrinkflation.
Earlier this year, consumers started noticing changes to a variety of products. The sizes of containers holding food and beverages of several products seem to have gotten smaller. Some cereal boxes got a little thinner. Still, other boxes and packages stayed the same but the weight was lighter.
In essence, companies have been forced to deal with inflation in three ways: Raise prices, sell consumers less at the same price, so consumers less at a higher price.
Experts say inflation is going to be with us for a while and believe such product adjustments will continue to happen, the Daily Mail reported.
Honey, I shrunk the stuff…Brands giving you less
Shrinkflation started several months ago, but it’s only being noticed now as more and more brands have been forced by the quickly evaporating dollar to join the trend. Here’s a look at brands changed by Shrinkflation.
Folgers coffee: Reduced from 51 ounces to 42.5 ounces. Container claims it still makes the same amount of coffee. “We have employed a new, roasting technology that makes the most out of every bean — resulting in lighter-weight coffee grounds that deliver the same taste you love across the same number of brewed cups,” Folgers wrote on Twitter. But the Daily Wire reported that this claim didn’t go over too well with customers who did not believe they could make the same 400 cups with less coffee grounds.
Angel soft toilet paper: Reduced from 425 sheets in a roll to 320.
Gatorade: The container has been given a waist-like curve in the middle. But it’s not just to make them easier to hold, which the company claims has been in the works for years. Now you get 28 ounces instead of 32. Gatorade is also more expensive.
Honey Bunches of Oats: 14.5-ounce box reduced to 12-ounce box. This equates to roughly 2 bowls of cereal less.
Quaker Oats: Reduced from ten 1.05 ounce packets per package to eight packets.
Crest white toothpaste: 4.1-ounce tube reduced to a 3.8-ounce tube.
Bounty paper towels: 165 sheets reduced to 147 sheets per roll.
Arm & Hammer laundry detergent: Reduced from 75 ounces to 67.5 ounces.
Fritos party size scoops: Reduced from 18 ounces to 15.5 ounces and more expensive, ABC reports.
Pantene Pro-V conditioner: Reduced from twelve ounces to 10.4 ounces.
Doritos: Reduced from 9.75 ounces to 9.25 ounces.
Charmin ultra soft mega: 264 sheets per roll reduced to 244 sheets per roll, price unchanged.
Dial body wash: Reduced from 21 ounces to 16 ounces.
