Shrinkflation seems to have slowed a little, but with the effect of tariffs on manufacturing costs, we probably can expect smaller products and higher prices soon. Here are some more products that have been downsized over recent months.
| Honey Nut Cheerios |
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Even the biggest boxes of breakfast cereal can’t escape the shrinkflation chopping block. Earlier this year, General Mills inconspicuously lopped off more than two ounces from the mega size boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios. That’s two fewer bowls in every package.
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| All Free & Clear Detergent |
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As other liquid detergents have downsized, so has All Free & Clear. Almost two cups was removed from the prior 88 ounce version, making the new one only 73 ounces. Yet, miracle of miracles, you still get 58 loads (supposedly) out of every bottle.
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| Kroger Tall Kitchen Bags |
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Not to be left out of the downsizing frenzy are store brands. These Kroger tall kitchen bags lost five bags in every box. And probably the old 45-bag size had itself been downsized from 50 bags.
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| Dole Juices |
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We have seen refrigerated orange juices go from 64 ounces to 59 ounces to 52 ounces and in some cases to 46 ounces. Joining the ever-shrinking juice brigade is Dole. Their apple juice (and some other varieties) have just been reduced from 59 ounces to 52 ounces. Ace shrinkflation spotter Richard G. discovered that Dole Orange Peach Mango also downsized, for example.
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| Ghirardelli Squares |
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Your dentist may be happy, but consumers probably won’t welcome getting two fewer chocolate squares in every bag of Ghirardelli dark chocolate mint. Now there are only 10 in a bag.
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| Reynolds Parchment Paper |
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Here is an item that you probably only buy every few years — Reynolds Parchment Paper. The old size was 50-square feet. Then they came out with a 45-square-foot version. But, the company says it added the smaller 45-square foot version to accommodate retailers who wanted to be able offer a lower price. Both versions are still available, but not at the same store. [This entry has been edited to clarify that point.]
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Next week, we’ll show you a similar product-size variation with breakfast cereal whose net contents vary depending on what store you are in.
And, we’ll have part two with more shrinking products. If you find a product that has been recently downsized, please take a side-by-side picture of the old and the new and send them to Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks.
Products shrink as fiat currency, backed only by government hot air, inflates the cost of goods sold (long before the added cost of Trump’s tariffs). Maintain product size and upset the buyer, or maintain price by shrinkage? Thereby keeping the rising cost of ingredients and labor in line with existing price (and hope the customer doesn’t notice)? Sneaky small print? Yes, but the numbers are on the product, so they toe the line of legality.
The seller’s conundrum.
One reasonably asks the question, how much shrinkage is enough to drive consumers to determine a product is no longer of sufficient value to purchase it? Since shrinkflation is done in small increments to avoid notice, consumers are getting less but paying the same or in some cases a higher price, which is equivalent to a price increase. Skimpflation has the same net effect. One way for consumers to wield their considerable power, is to refuse to purchase shrunken and skimped products. Manufacturers will get the message. Whether they respond in the face of falling sales, is another question.
That is hard to do as most companies are ripping us off.
Thank you for monitoring this. Boycotting these products would be a reasonable response on the part of consumers
VLF… if we boycotted every product that has been downsized, there would be few products left to buy! I agree, however, that showing your displeasure by way of deleting a product from your shopping list, and thus reducing their sales volume, can send a powerful message.
Hi Edgar,
There is virtually nothing a Consumer can do except to not buy the product. I love to buy some things that have raised their prices and it will hard for me to stop buying. I like them. So I just s**k it up and fork out the dough!
It is hard for most people to stop buying their favorite products, even if it did send a strong message to the manufacturer.
All also has shrunk their 141 oz size
How much further can they go with shrinkflation before the only option is an empty package
Well they got me with the All detergent. didn’t even notice the change.
Corporate greed and deception run a muck
Ultimately shrinkflation is going to continue forever. The best thing you, as the consumer, can do is be vigilant in why you’re buying and making are real time decision as to whether or not the price you’re going to pay for that package size is worth it. You can’t possibly remember the size of everything you’ve bought and to try to would drive you crazy.
Second, I know the ever-present excuse for detergent companies for why they can downsize and keep the same number of loads is, “less water”, but it begs the question why they wouldn’t just use the lower amount of water in the first place and save the packaging money.
I think this is in response to tariffs. Shrinking a product 5-20% is less noticeable to most customers and not many keep track of price per unit.
Instead of raising prices all the way they shrink the product.
More companies are on the chopping and aren’t gonna get my loyalty. I already dropped Ghirardelli, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Dole, PepsiCo and Tropicana.
On top of that there’s no transparency when the products are shrunken down.
1 last thing that doesn’t get talked about enough with shrinkflation is that you gotta buy more garbage bags since you run out of the products much faster than in the 2010s and 2000s.
I am somewhat technologically illiterate, but if someone reads this I would like to see it “investigated.” I recently bought a box of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes. As I am a daily cereal consumer I KNOW cereals! I am convinced that not only is shrinkflation occurring in the size of the box but what is in the box as well.
The flakes in Frosted Flakes were significantly smaller than I have seen. So much so that I had to strain the cereal through a colander to get rid of all the inedible ones. I don’t know if this was a fluke in the box that I received, but I also noticed it with Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, just not to the same degree. Hmmm….
Moishe… If the flakes are smaller, there better be more of them in the box so that you are getting the full weight as specified on the outside of the package. If you have a digital scale, weigh the unopened bag from a new box before opening. There always has been some amount of “grit” at the bottom of cereal bags. If the amount of it was excessive, write to Kellogg’s and they will probably send you some coupons.
I use All detergent. I asked them about the smaller bottle with same load amount. Received this response: The change in bottle size is due to product compaction—we have removed excess water, making the detergent more concentrated. While the bottle is smaller, the number of loads per bottle remains the same because the recommended dose per load has also decreased. If you compare the dosing instructions on the packaging, you’ll see that less detergent is needed per wash, ensuring the same great cleaning power without waste.