Battling ‘shrinkflation’ on a budget

As prices for everyday items continue to rise, consumers are facing a new challenge: shrinkflation, where products shrink in size but prices remain the same or increase.

Shrinkflation is becoming common as manufacturers reduce product sizes while maintaining or increasing prices. This phenomenon is largely driven by rising manufacturing and production costs, as noted by Edgar Dworsky of Consumer World, who has been tracking the trend for years.

“Down in volume, up in price,” said shopper Nancy Crombie, summarizing the frustration many consumers feel.

“It makes me absolutely angry,” said Sergion Nunez, another shopper, who noted the impact on his grocery budget.

Ziploc sandwich bags have decreased from 280 to 270 bags per box, representing a 3.5% reduction.

Cascade dishwasher detergent packs have also shrunk from 52 to 47 packs per box, nearly a 10% decrease, yet both sizes are priced the same online.

Similarly, Honey Nut Cheerios “mega size” boxes have reduced from 29.4 ounces to 27.2 ounces, with no price difference noted on some platforms.

Edgar Dworsky advises consumers to pay attention to unit prices rather than size labels like ‘mega’ or ‘giant,’ as these can be misleading.

He also suggests that store brands are often the last to downsize, offering a potential alternative for cost-conscious shoppers.

Cox Media Group reached out to several manufacturers for comment, but only S.C. Johnson, the maker of Ziploc, responded.

S.C. Johnson stated that in some cases, product counts were adjusted to maintain accessible pricing amid rising costs. However, they also noted that they have added 10% more bags per box for most products at no additional cost, effectively reducing prices by approximately 5% this year.

A survey by the National Association for Business Economics found that many businesses are trying to avoid raising consumer costs, with shrinkflation being one method employed. Some companies are also slowing hiring and absorbing higher production costs.

Shrinkflation continues to challenge consumers trying to stretch their budgets, with many feeling the strain as product sizes decrease while prices stay the same. As Nancy Crombie observed, “Two bags of groceries used to be like maybe sixty bucks. Now you’re lucky if you get one bag at sixty bucks.”

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