Families facing financial challenges due to rising costs are encountering a new trend known as ‘shrinkflation,’ as reported by consumer group Which?. Major brands have been observed reducing the size or quality of popular products, such as toothpaste, coffee, and heartburn medicine, while keeping the prices unchanged. Consumers provided instances of shrinkflation in supermarkets, highlighting products like Aquafresh Complete Care Original Toothpaste, which saw a 105% price increase per 100ml at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Ocado.
Additionally, Gaviscon Heartburn and Indigestion Liquid bottles shrank from 600ml to 500ml, with a 20% price rise per 100ml at Sainsbury’s. Which? also noted a decrease in size of Sainsbury’s Scottish Oats from 1kg to 500g, accompanied by a 236% price increase per 100g. KitKat Two-Finger Milk Chocolate Bar multipacks were reduced from 21 bars to 18 at Ocado, with a price hike from £3.60 to £5.50.
Furthermore, Quality Street chocolate tubs were downsized from 600g to 550g at Morrisons, with the price increasing from £6 to £7. Similarly, Cadbury’s multipacks of Freddo and Fudge bars decreased from five bars to four at Morrisons, Ocado, and Tesco, maintaining a price of £1.40.
Amid these changes, Which? Retail editor Reena Sewraz emphasized the importance of supermarkets being transparent about pricing, especially in light of the upcoming holiday season. Manufacturers like Mondelez International and Nestle cited rising input costs such as cocoa and dairy, leading to adjustments in product sizes and recipes to manage increased production expenses. The Food and Drink Federation echoed these sentiments, attributing price adjustments to the surge in ingredient and energy costs over recent years.
