27 of the Most Extreme Shrinkflation Examples, From Pringles to Cereal

May 2024 · 2 minute read

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Ingredients and manufacturing are getting more expensive amid soaring inflation, and it usually results in two things: higher prices or smaller-sized products.

Consumer food prices have jumped 10.9% over the past year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics – the biggest 12-month increase since 1979. Margarine, coffee, soup, and eggs are among the worst-hit food items, per the BLS data. Egg prices have increased nearly 40%.

Some companies don't want to hike prices, though, in case this deters shoppers. Instead, they're maintaining a similar price point by subtly making their products smaller. This includes making candy bars sold in multipacks smaller than ones being sold individually, or changing the shape of their products so you can barely notice the difference in weight.

But customers are starting to notice.

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This phenomenon, known as shrinkflation, was already happening before the coronavirus pandemic, but is set to get worse as inflation persists, pushing up how much manufacturers and retailers pay for both raw materials and labor.

TikTok users have been posting about the trend, encouraging shoppers to look more closely at the weights of what they buy and make sure they're still getting value for money. Some of these videos are getting hundreds of thousands of views. 

Yelp said in July that shoppers and diners have started to post reviews referencing smaller portion sizes, too. The site said that hot dogs, burgers, and pizzas were the food categories where reviewers mentioned shrinkflation the most.

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