Downsizing / Shrinkflation

Here are products that have shrunken in size as a sneaky way for manufacturers to pass on a hidden price increase.

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Skimpflation Hits Imperial Margarine

We told you a couple of years ago how Conagra inconspicuously reformulated Smart Balance margarine by reducing its fat content from 64% to 39%.

Now comes the Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield), the maker of Imperial margarine, tinkering with the recipe for its product.

When it was advertised in the ’70s, Imperial had 80% vegetable oil, tasted like butter they said, and made you “feel like a king.”

Boy how times have changed. (For purposes of this story, we will still refer to the product as “margarine” although it no longer meets the legal definition since it has less than 80% fat.)

*MOUSE PRINT:

Imperial margarine

The most recent previous version had 53% vegetable oil. Clearly there had to have been many interim versions to get from 80% down to just 53%. Now, the current version has only 48%. And the calories dropped from 70 per tablespoon down to 60.

How did they accomplish this? Like Smart Balance, they literally watered down the product. Looking at the nutrition label reveals the change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Imperial nutrition label

In the previous version of Imperial, vegetable oil was the primary ingredient. In the current version, water predominates. But strangely, the fat content remains seven grams per serving. How is that possible?

We asked Flora for an explanation. All a company spokesperson would say is:

Regarding the nutritional information on the label, the serving size and nutritional values are determined through detailed analytical testing in accordance with FDA guidelines. While the overall fat content of the product has been adjusted, the fat content per serving is declared accurately in accordance with FDA guidelines.

Perhaps it is a rounding issue on the number of grams of fat. Who knows?

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

CT Bill Would Require Shrinkflation Notices for Products

shrinkflationA bill to regulate shrinking products was recently filed by the Connecticut Attorney General. It is one of the first of its kind pieces of state legislation in the United States. (Some other countries have laws requiring disclosure when a product is downsized.)

The proposed law in Connecticut does not ban shrinkflation, but is a disclosure law requiring notice to shoppers if a product now contains less than it did but the price has not dropped proportionately.

In particular, it says in abbreviated form:

*MOUSE PRINT:

(Effective July 1, 2025) (a) No vendor shall downsize, or reduce the quantity, amount, weight or size of, any consumer product, unless such vendor: (1) Reduces the price charged for such consumer product by an amount that is commensurate with such downsizing or reduction; or (2) Clearly and conspicuously discloses that such vendor has made such downsizing or reduction during the twelve-month period beginning on the date on which (A) the downsized consumer product is first sold, or (B) the consumer product is first sold in such reduced quantity, amount, weight or size.

That last part is not clear, but what is certain is that the “vendor” has to clearly disclose that the product has been downsized. Missing are details like what form the notice has to take, where it has to be displayed (like on the package or shelf), and what specifically has to be told to the consumer other than the fact that the product now contains less. Presumably regulations by the attorney general’s office will have to be promulgated, and I would advocate that they should require a statement that includes the old size or the percentage reduction in size.

Who is responsible for the disclosure? According to the bill, the “vendor” is. “Vendor” is defined as including the distributor, manufacturer, retailer, supplier or wholesaler. So both the manufacturer and retailer would have responsibility for making the required disclosure.

Good luck getting this bill passed, Connecticut. Expect huge opposition from the businesses affected.

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Here We Shrink Again – Year-End 2024

The next new Mouse Print* story: January 6th.

As we wrap up 2024, it is time to take a last look at some products that suffered the effects of shrinkflation. Here are some more products that have been recently downsized.

Chex Mix

Snack foods are one of the common categories of groceries to shrink. And Chex is no exception. Their family size bags which used to be 15 ounces have gone down to 13.5 ounces.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Chex Mix Chex Mix Bold

Secret Deodorant

Solid deodorant packages tend to be deceptive. The dispenser appears to be pretty tall, but if you look carefully at the one on the right below, you will see that the fairly thick platform that raises the stick deodorant starts halfway up the package. There is no content in the bottom half.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Secret Deodorant

And to add insult to injury, the new tubes went from 2.6 ounces to 2.37 ounces. Thanks to Nora F. for this submission.

Q-Tips

Warehouse club packs of Q-Tips have been shrinking. The old packs combined contained 1875 Q-Tips, but the new ones have 125 fewer Q-Tips — just 1750. Either way, this seems like a lifetime supply for many people.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Q-Tips

People have also been complaining online about the amount of cotton on the ends of Q-Tips. They say it has been reduced. Thanks to Glen B. for finding this product.

Charmin Strong

Our ace downsizing spotter, Richard G., discovered that Charmin in the red package finally downsized again (the soft version in the blue package did that last year). Now each roll has 330 sheets instead of the old 363.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Charmin Mega XL

Along with the reduction in sheets came a name change. P&G retired the name “Super Mega” and renamed the product Charmin Mega XL. They did this apparently so they could introduce an even larger roll called Mega XXL. (It would have been odd to have had to call it “Super Super Mega.”)

Tyson Chicken Nuggets

Don’t look now, but you probably lost 10% of the nuggets from each of Tyson’s two-pound bags. You now only get 29 ounces.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Tyson Chicken Nuggets

Richard G. spotted this one too, along with their chicken patties going from 10 in a package to just eight.

Bar Soap

The ever-shrinking soap bar continues to shrink. Now 3.17-ounce Dove bars are only 2.6 ounces. And Lever 2000 went from four ounces to 3.75.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Dove soap

Lever 2000

Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes

What has Betty Crocker been cooking up lately? Smaller boxes of her au gratin potatoes, that’s what. They went down from 4.7 ounces to just four ounces. Thanks to both Nick B. and Richard G. for spotting this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes

Jif Peanut Butter To Go Cups

Richard G. discovered that little cups of Jif peanut butter that kids might eat as a snack went down from 1.5 ounces per cup to just 1.1 ounces.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Jif to go cups

Lorna Doone Snack Pack

Lastly, a childhood cookie favorite, Lorna Doone, lost two of its six cookies in each snack pack, according to Susan L. So they’ve gone from an ounce-and-a-half down to just one ounce.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Lorna Doone

If you find a product that has been downsized very recently, please take a picture of the old version and the new version, side-by-side, if possible, clearly displaying the net content statements on both. You can email that to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks.