Downsizing / Shrinkflation

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

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Here We Skimp Again: Protein

When manufacturers want to save money, they can make the package smaller (shrinkflation) or reformulate the product using cheaper ingredients (skimpflation). This time, two companies chose the latter, and are cutting back on the amount of protein in their products.

Healthy Choice Protein Bowls

Sometime in the past several months Healthy Choice decided to come out with a new name and new recipe for the Power Bowls. They renamed them “Protein Bowls” and kept the size the same – 9.75 ounces. But ironically, they reduced the protein in each package by 15% from 26 grams down to 22 grams.

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Healthy Choice bowls comparison

Best we can tell the amount of chicken stayed the same because both products have the same amount of saturated fat. But it looks like they reduced the amount of pinto beans and added more leafy greens.

Healthy Choice ingredients

Kellogg’s Special K Protein

A while back Rob S. told us about Special K Protein cereal that reduced the amount of protein in their product from 15 grams per serving to just 10 — a one-third reduction. They removed wheat gluten from the reformulated product – a source of protein.

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Special K Protein

Kellogg's Special K ingredients

Apparently this was a very popular cereal with many consumers buying it by the case. And then they noticed the protein reduction. From the Kellogg’s website, their fury boiled over in dozens of one-star reviews.

  • I have been eating this cereal EVERY SINGLE MORNING FOR YEARS. So imagine my surprise when I recently stumbled upon this page to find the reviews pointing out that Kellogg’s dramatically lowered the amount of protein in it. I understand it’s not like they’re going to slap a banner across the box that says, “Now with much less protein!” But, come on, this was sneaky and underhanded. It has made me lose all faith in Kellogg’s.

  • I thought I was losing it!! Nice, thanks for ripping us off. My husband just bought me a huge box. It will be the last one. Boo! Hiss!

  • Shame on you for trying to trick customers with labeling. You know exactly what you have done with lowing the amount of protein in your product and charging same high price. You have successfully lost another customer!!

    • If you find a product that was reformulated or watered down with cheaper ingredients, please send the details to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org. Thanks.

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    Post Is Skimping on Cereal Servings Per Box Says Lawsuit

    A New York consumer is suing Post over allegedly misleading claims for one of its breakfast cereals. (See complaint.)

    The cereal in question, 19.5-ounce “family size” boxes of Post Fruity Pebbles, is supposed to have enough cereal for 15 one-cup bowls of cereal.

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    Fruity Pebbles label

    The consumer’s lawyers contend, however, that it has far less.

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    Fruity Pebbles allegations

    They hired an independent testing lab which determined that the cereal is denser than the label indicates, so you actually only get 11.3 one-cup serving per box, and thus the claimed amount of calories, sugar, and sodium is far higher per serving than represented.

    Fruity Pebbles difference

    So, the company is being sued for false and misleading statements and unjust enrichment under New York law. They are asking the judge for refunds and corrective advertising.

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    Here We Shrink Again – Spring 2026 – Part 2

    We continue this week spotlighting some of the various products that were reduced in size recently.

    Dawn Platinum

    Dawn Platinum claims to be “new and improved” yet their claim for cleaning efficiency remains the same — “Removes 99% of grease and food residue.” One thing for sure is, the new bottle will clean fewer dishes because it went from 32 ounces to just 30.

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    Dawn Platinum

    Febreze Air Freshener

    Carolina M. didn’t want to make a stink about it but she tipped us off to some shrinking Febreze spray cans going from 8.8 ounces to 8.1 ounces.

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    Febreze

    Smucker’s Strawberry Jam

    Richard G. discovered reports that Smucker’s strawberry jam recently lost two ounces from each jar going down to 30 ounces. Maybe they need to change their slogan — “with a name like Smucker’s it is sure to be good smaller.”

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    Smucker's strawberry jam

    Kellogg’s Corn Pops

    Cereal is another category where shrinkflation is very common. This time the shrink ray hit Kellogg’s Corn Pops, going from 18.1 ounces down to 16.4. That’s about two fewer cups of cereal per box. The new boxes hide the drop in net weight by becoming more narrow, but look about the same size head-on in the supermarket aisle. Sneaky.

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    Kellogg's Corn Pops

    Swiffer Dusters

    Glenn S. found that there are now fewer Swiffer dusters in a box than previously. The old box of 28 has gone down to 24.

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    Swiffer

    Kirkland Fabric Softener

    Store brands are not immune from shrinkflation. Here, Costco’s Kirkland brand of fabric softener dramatically downsized from 187 ounces yielding 276 loads to 150 ounces and 257 loads. Presumably the cap has changed too. Thanks to Nora F. for this submission.

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    Kirkland Ultra fabric softener

    If you spot a product that has been recently downsized, please take a picture of the old and the new one and send them to: Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks.