If it seems like some of your groceries and other retail items have been hit with a shrink ray recently, you're not just seeing things.
A phenomenon known as "shrinkflation" is reportedly accelerating across the globe.
Shrinkflation happens when a company reduces the size of its products without decreasing prices. That means customers get less instead of paying more.
Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, told the Associated Press that manufacturers are drawn to shrinkflation because they know customers will notice price increases but they won't keep track of net weights or item counts.
"It comes in waves. We happen to be in a tidal wave at the moment because of inflation," he said.
Items like toilet paper, yogurt, corn chips and coffee are all getting smaller in waves.
Among the worst offenders, according to the AP report:
• Kleenex now has 60 tissues, down from 65
• Gatorade downsized its 32-ounce bottles to 28 ounces
• Chobani Flips yogurts have shrunk from 5.3 ounces to 4.5 ounces
• Cottonelle Ultra Clean Care toilet paper now has 312 sheets per roll, down from 340
• Folgers coffee downsized its 51-ounce container to 43.5 ounces (but still says it makes up to 400 cups)
• Fritos Scoops "Party Size" is 15.5 ounces, down from 18 ounces
• Pantene Pro-V Curl Perfection conditioner used to be 12 fluid ounces but is now 10.4 fluid ounces
• Earth's Best Organic Sunny Day Snack Bars now have seven bars per box, down from eight
Restaurants are also seeing some shrinkflation. Domino's Pizza downsized its chicken wings from 10 to eight pieces, and some Burger King franchises also reduced the number of nuggets in meals from ten to eight pieces, according to CNN.
Dworsky has launched a website, mouseprint.org, which tracks product size changes and other data. Additional examples of shrinkflation, according to his website, include:
• Angel Soft toilet paper downsized its mega rolls from 425 sheets to 320 sheets
• Post Honey Bunches of Oats is now 12 ounces, down from 14.5 ounces
• Arm & Hammer laundry detergent downsized from 75 ounces to 67.5 ounces
• Dove Body Wash went from 24 ounces to 22 ounces
• Keebler downsized its Chips Deluxe with M&Ms from 11.3 ounces to 9.75 ounces, and its E.L. Fudge packages from 13.6 ounces to 12 ounces
Once a product has been through shrinkflation, it will likely stay that way -- so get used to these new, smaller-sized products.
"Upsizing is kind of rare," said Dworsky.
Related
Related
