No one likes paying more for things — especially in times such as these when rampant inflation is driving up the price of everything.
But suppliers do have other options besides increasing prices: They can try to cut costs elsewhere, including by making their products smaller.
So next time you grab your favorite snack or drink, don’t just check the price — check the weight, too. You could be facing “shrinkflation.”
“Shrinkflation” is nothing new — the word alone has been around for at least a decade according to Merriam-Webster — but the concept has received renewed interest recently as America has faced its worst inflation rates in generations. And confirmed cases of shrinking products at grocery stores have been popping up all over.
For instance, if you buy a bag of Doritos, expect about five fewer chips. Frito-Lay reportedly confirmed that they dropped the weight of bags from 9.75 ounces to 9.25 ounces. “Inflation is hitting everyone,” a spokesperson told Quartz. “We took just a little bit out of the bag so we can give you the same price and you can keep enjoying your chips.” The same goes for Wheat Thins: A Mondalez representative confirmed to the site that a family-size box had gone from 16 ounces to 14 ounces, around 28 fewer crackers.
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