Here We Shrink Again – Spring 2024 – Part 1

Some big brands are continuing to downsize their products despite some easing of the inflation rate… so shrinkflation continues in 2024. A half dozen products are below, and next week we’ll feature another six.

Oreo

People have been complaining about the dollop of creme inside regular Oreos seems to have gotten much smaller. We can’t tell if that is the case with the regular size packages of Oreos, but this product that has been 14.3 ounces for years, just went down 13.29. And similarly, the regular size package of Double Stuf Oreos also decreased.

*MOUSE PRINT:

In addition, Oreo Thins, with less cream and a thinner cookie is reducing the number of cookies in each package by about four. The “family size” is now only 11.78 ounces down from 13.1. Thanks to Richard G. for spotting the change in Oreo Thins.

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Kellogg’s Froot Loops

Regular purchasers of Froot Loops might not have noticed a change in the net weight of their cereal because looking at old and new boxes on the supermarket shelf appear to be unchanged. Richard G. spotted the first change in January.

*MOUSE PRINT:

They have gone from 10.1 oz. to 8.9 oz. first and then to 7.9 oz. What magic did Kellogg’s perform?

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The way Kellogg’s accomplishes the package looking the same on the shelf, is to simply narrow the box. Soon they may not be able to stand up anymore. The two shown above were found at a CVS in March 2024 and both were priced the same. We asked Kellogg’s about the way they made the packaging change and if the 7.9 oz. size is made just for places like drugstores. They did not respond to us.

Cottonelle Ultra Clean

Toilet paper is one of the product categories where we see ever-shrinking rolls. And Cottonelle is no exception. The new Cottonelle is supposedly “thicker and stronger” but look how much small the new package is. The old 321-sheet rolls are now only 284-sheets. Thanks to our ace shrinkflation detective, Richard G. for spotting this change.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Puffs Tissues

These Puffs tissues lost eight tissues in every box, going from 56 down to 48. Thanks to Jack K. whose thoughts about Puffs led us to this example.

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Ritz Bits

Snack foods have always been prime targets for shrinkflation. Here, Ritz Bits went from 8.8 ounces per bag down to 7.5.

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If you find a product recently hit by shrinkflation, please take side-by-side pictures of the old and new, including the net weight or net count and email them to Edgar(at)ConsumerWorld.org . Thanks!