As inflation continues to take its toll on our pocketbooks, some product manufacturers pass on price increases the sneaky way by downsizing or shrinking their products (“shrinkflation”), tinkering with the ingredients (“skimpflation”), or playing packaging tricks. Here are some of the latest examples. Incidentally, just recently Merriam Webster added the word shrinkflation to its dictionary.
| Charmin Ultra Strong Mega Rolls |
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Charmin finishes this round of downsizing by finally reducing the number of sheets on its red packages – the ultra strong variety. Mega rolls were reduced from 264 sheets to 242 sheets, and Super Mega went from 396 to 363 sheets. The packages below were $14.29 each, purchased in the same store, at the same time, and at the same price. Thanks to our ace shrinkflation sleuth, Richard G., for this find.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Peet’s Coffee |
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George C. discovered that bags of Peet’s coffee went from 12 ounces down to 10.5 ounces and the price went up. We contacted the company, and it said they made the change a couple of months ago, but kept the price the same. No matter, you are still paying more per ounce with the smaller bag.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Natural Balance Adult Dog Food |
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Fido may be getting two pounds less in the big bags of Natural Balance adult dry dog food than previously. As often happens, the size reduction occurred at the time the company introduced a new package design. On the company’s website and at Chewy.com attention is called to the design change, but it is up to the shopper to notice the difference in net weight since it is not shown in their illustration [we’ve added it].
*MOUSE PRINT:
When customer service at Natural Balance was asked why they downsized, the company responded saying, “To offer more consistency in sizing across our portfolio, we are reducing our bag sizes slightly on this formula from 26lbs. to 24lbs.”
| Seventh Generation Detergent |
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As with many laundry detergents, the size of the bottle changes occasionally. This time, the 100-ounce bottles of Seventh Generation downsized to 90 ounces. The bottles below were found in August at a leading supermarket, both scanned $15.99, but the old larger one was offered with an extra dollar off. Thanks to Mim E. for the tip.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Cap’n Crunch |
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In another cereal downsizing, Grant O. reported to us in July that Cap’n Crunch peanut butter cereal was shrinking from 12.5 ounces to 11.4. So you lost about a bowl of cereal in every box, but the price stayed the same. Both boxes were priced identically in the store where found.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Huggies Diapers |
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For several months, consumers have been reporting that there are fewer diapers in some Huggies packages. We recently found these Huggies Snugglers that went from 96 in a box down to only 84. And both boxes scanned at the same $29.99 price.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Suave Shampoo |
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The 30-ounce bottles of Suave Shampoo and their conditioner have been reduced by 25%, but the price has stayed the same. Recently they both were $2.49 at Stop & Shop supermarket in the Boston area. Interestingly, the product is still called “family size.” Perhaps the new product is meant for families where dad is bald.
*MOUSE PRINT:
| Quaker Instant Oatmeal |
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Last year, Quaker reduced some flavors of their instant oatmeal packages. This year, some more flavors got the downsizing axe including 10 packet boxes of raisin, date and walnut oatmeal going to eight.
*MOUSE PRINT:
To see them side-by-side, they look identical. Only if your turn them sideways can you see that the new boxes are narrower.
Next week, we’ll expose some packaging tricks used by other cereal makers, and the week after that we’ll spotlight some products that were recently subject to “skimpflation.”
If you find an item that has been downsized, please take a sharp before and after picture showing the net weight or net contents, and email it to edgar (at symbol) ConsumerWorld.org . Thanks.
