Shrinkflation Is Real
If you haven’t heard about shrinkflation, you must have been living under a rock. Brands are reducing the size of their products but refusing to drop the prices to match, and people have strong feelings about it. Here are 35 of the biggest shrinkflation victims.
Chips
When was the last time you opened a bag of chips and weren’t greeted with air? Nowadays, it feels like less than half the bag contains chips. Cheetos, Doritos, Lay’s, and Pringles are all getting smaller, but their prices remain the same as before.
Bread
You’re not going crazy! Bread slices really are getting smaller. It’s a small but noticeable change that means we now get less sandwich slices for our money. Many loaves are now around 20% lighter, too, which means there are at least two slices missing.
Cat Food
Shrinkflation is also happening to our furry friends, and we know they won’t be happy about it! Lots of cat food brands have reduced the size of their wet food pouches from 100ml to 85ml, and dry treat bags are also suspiciously lighter.
Coffee
If you like strong coffee, be prepared to buy multiple jars. Though they still claim to make the same number of cups, the reduced amount of granules says differently. This small change wouldn’t be so problematic if coffee didn’t still cost around $6 per pound.
Cereal
Cereal may be high in fiber, but the amount you get in a box is less than it used to be. Lots of brands are taking 50 grams or more away but still marketing their cereals as the same products, with the original prices.
Chocolate Bars
Shrinkflation has been absolutely devastating for chocoholics. The most notable incident was the recent Toblerone outrage after people discovered that the triangles had shrunk and been moved further apart, meaning there was less chocolate in each bar. This has happened to many candy brands.
Yogurt
Gone are the days when pots of yogurt used to be filled right to the top. Now, you feel like you’re eating two-thirds of a yogurt and are still hungry afterward. If you look closely, you’ll see that the pots have shrunk, too, as well as having less inside.
Ice Cream
Where do we start with ice cream? From shrunken tubs of Ben & Jerry’s and Breyers to tiny ice cream bars, there’s a lot to complain about. And maybe we wouldn’t mind as much if the average price for a gallon of ice cream wasn’t still over $6.
Juice
Juice is a tricky offender to spot because many brands have changed the shape of their bottles to mask shrinkflation, but it’s definitely happening. Many bottles are now wider, which tricks you into believing they’re bigger, but they actually contain fewer milliliters than before.
Paper Towels
Paper towels have so many uses, so we need more sheets, not less! Many people have complained that the rolls now feel slimmer, and some even find that the sheets are thinner and less absorbent. And, of course, they’re still priced exactly the same.
Detergent
If your new detergent feels deceptively light, that’s probably because it is. Each bottle now contains less liquid than it used to, and you can even see how much some of them have shrunk by putting them next to their similarly-priced predecessors.
Fast Food
Fast food seems to be getting more expensive every day. Over the past two decades, the McDonald’s Big Mac has experienced a 158% price increase, but the burgers have become flatter. Many portions seem to be getting smaller, and we don’t think it’s justifiable at all.
Lotion
Skincare products remain an expensive investment, but they’re shrinking just the same as groceries. Moisturizers and other lotions now have fewer ounces, and the bottles are often noticeably smaller. Soon, many will be priced out of their favorite products because they’ll need to buy them more often.
Q-Tips
This one might be petty, but we had to mention it. It’s probably the least noticeable (for the moment) act of shrinkflation, but Q-tips are getting shorter and have less cotton on the ends than they used to. They’re also more bendy and breakable.
Toilet Paper
Like paper towels, toilet paper is also under attack. From fewer squares to thinner sheets to shorter rolls, everything about toilet paper is shrinking, except the price! Those remain strong at around $5 for a pack of four, which you’ll go through more quickly.
Shampoo
This is an act of shrinkflation that those with long hair will definitely have noticed. Milliliter by milliliter, shampoo is getting smaller, but it’s still a pricey toiletry, with even the basic brands cutting into your budget. Time to start using it sparingly.
Frozen Chicken
If you have kids, be warned! Frozen chicken is shrinking, and even the dinosaurs aren’t safe. There are now fewer pieces in each bag, decreasing the overall weight listed on the packaging. But frozen foods remain costly, with a bag of nuggets easily costing over $5.
Butter
We can’t believe it’s not better! Well, it is, but not the same as before. Almost every tub you pick up in the store will contain fewer ounces than it used to, and you may notice that the tubs are smaller, too. But don’t worry, the prices will be familiar.
Mayonnaise
Even if it’s just a few ounces, we’re still annoyed! Mayonnaise is shrinking by the day, with Duke’s now missing two ounces and Hellmann’s going from 800 grams to 600. Unfortunately, prices aren’t going down to match, so we’re forced to pay more for less.
Soap
Soap is a necessity, so it’s a shame to see many brands slimming down their bars but still charging the same amount. Many have only lost an ounce, but it’s still a noticeable difference for a product that you use multiple times a day.
Toothpaste
You don’t have to be mad about dental hygiene to know that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day. However, it used to be easier to make a tube last. Now, they’re slimmer and lighter, and before you know it, the toothpaste is all gone.
Cookies
Even if it’s just one or two cookies, this latest change is particularly outrageous. Cookie packets almost look like they’ve been chopped in half, and the cookies themselves seem smaller, too. Many people feel robbed because cookies haven’t become cheaper, making them a rarer treat.
Avocado
Avocadoes are the fruit of the moment, so a little upscale pricing makes sense. However, we expect a great product to match, and avocados seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Many are majority pits, so once you’ve cut them, there’s very little to actually eat.
Sausages
Meat eaters and vegans can come together to agree on one thing: sausages are shrinking. Though many packs still contain the same number, the sausages themselves are smaller, so there’s less protein to enjoy. But you’ll still pay full-size prices for them.
Ketchup
Ketchup is one shrinking product that isn’t maintaining the same price for a lower amount; it’s raising prices! The cost of Heinz ketchup has experienced an approximately 50% price rise in the last few years, despite the fact that an ounce of sauce is now missing from each bottle.
Soda
Soda has changed a lot over the years, but we got used to each new rebranded bottle being bigger. Cans, in particular, seem to be dwindling in size, though not enough to be truly noticeable. It helps that the prices are the same, so people don’t know they’re being ripped off.
Frozen Pizza
Frozen pizza is another frosty staple that we swear is shrinking. Pizzas are now too small for the pans that were designed for them, and they seem to get even smaller in the oven. In the end, you get fewer slices to enjoy for the same price as before.
Crackers
If anything is crackers, it’s how much this product has shrunk in recent years! Like cookies, there are now fewer crackers in each bag, although a big one could cost you up to $5 each time. And, of course, you’re still charged the same despite some of the crackers being elsewhere.
Meatballs
Meatballs aren’t a cheap meat product, so we expect some quality after paying full price. However, you may now be paying more for fewer meatballs. Just recently, somebody noticed that Cole’s had done a cheeky 28% reduction on their meatballs and was irate about it.
Ice
This might be ridiculous to complain about because we can just freeze water ourselves, but it’s the principle! Bags of ice are shrinking, and it’s not because they’re melting. An entire bag may only cost $2-$3, but it’s still not fair that we now get fewer cubes for our money.
Candy Pouches
It seems that anything in a pouch or packet is shrinking. Candy pouches have fallen victim to many companies “selling air”, with at least one-third of the bag feeling completely empty. This is the worst thing that can happen to a snack, and it’s only predicted to get worse.
Tampons
There’s been plenty of talk online about tampon shrinkflation, and it’s a very valid discourse. Tampons now look smaller, which means that they have less cotton and are subsequently less absorbent. This is definitely not a step in the right direction.
Laundry Pods
Like other detergents, laundry pods are also getting smaller inside their containers. Each individual pod is now smaller, so even if the packaging still says the same thing, the weight could paint a very different story. If you wash laundry all the time, you’re in for a shock.
Disinfectant
All disinfectant products are under threat, it seems. Take wipes as an example. Each pack now contains five, ten, or more missing wipes, and you’ll get through those in no time. And even though they’re relatively cheap, disinfectant products remain a nuisance to buy.
Tea Bags
Is this a war against tea? It sure feels like it! If you look closely at the box, you’ll see that either the weight or number of tea bags listed has gone down, resulting in fewer delicious cups of hot tea. But you can bet that the price is no different.
