Shrinkflation: There was a discussion about this last week. Today, it's the "Word of the Day." shrinkflation PRONUNCIATION: (shringk-FLAY-shuhn) MEANING: noun: The practice of reducing...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There was a discussion about this last week. Today, it's the "Word of the Day."

shrinkflation
PRONUNCIATION:
(shringk-FLAY-shuhn)

MEANING:
noun: The practice of reducing the size of products while selling at the same price.

ETYMOLOGY:
A blend of shrink + inflation. Earliest documented use: 2013.

USAGE:
“Shrinkflation is a very real thing, pretty soon a bag of salty, fatty air will be all that is left!”
OT Strange; The Restoration of The Real; Lulu; 2021.

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

Ever notice that cereal now has the same size boxes height and width, only they reduced the thickness of the box front to back? They hope folks won't notice.

RiJoRi Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC

Lessee...
If company X reduces the amount sold per package, then consumer Y is going to buy two packages. The result being twice as much raw materials (including energy) being used, and twice as much packaging material (usually plastic) going into the landfills. Brilliant idea! 🙄

(This is a quick view, not to be mistaken for a meticulous, exhaustive study of the matter!)

--Rich

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

RiJoRi wrote:

Lessee...
If company X reduces the amount sold per package, then consumer Y is going to buy two packages. The result being twice as much raw materials (including energy) being used, and twice as much packaging material (usually plastic) going into the landfills. Brilliant idea! 🙄

(This is a quick view, not to be mistaken for a meticulous, exhaustive study of the matter!)

--Rich

All that matters is profit.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

marycar53 wrote:

Ever notice that cereal now has the same size boxes height and width, only they reduced the thickness of the box front to back? They hope folks won't notice.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

jerryc41 wrote:

There was a discussion about this last week. Toda... (show quote)

thanks for that Jerry. However not all things have gone up in price. notice that a nearby store still offers "free smells".

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

RiJoRi wrote:

Lessee...
If company X reduces the amount sold per package, then consumer Y is going to buy two packages. The result being twice as much raw materials (including energy) being used, and twice as much packaging material (usually plastic) going into the landfills. Brilliant idea! 🙄

(This is a quick view, not to be mistaken for a meticulous, exhaustive study of the matter!)

--Rich

Not always...
If the <original> recipe calls for a 16 oz. can of something, now they are selling 12 to 14 oz. cans.
Guess what, there will be less of something in the recipe.
Not going to buy two 12 oz. cans.

petercbrandt Loc: New York City, Manhattan

Many years ago l noticed the coffee cans going from 16 oz, then to 12, and now 10 oz but the same size can. C***ting the consummer has been going on for decades ! They are all in on it, Sad !

jinx

Longshadow wrote:

Not always...
If the <original> recipe calls for a 16 oz. can of something, now they are selling 12 to 14 oz. cans.
Guess what, there will be less of something in the recipe.
Not going to buy two 12 oz. cans.

Greatgrand daughter was baking a cake. It called for 16oz. can of fruit cocktail. Surprisingly her can contained 16oz. However, there was a lot more juice (water) and a lot less fruit so the cake was a soggy mess. Not everyone reduces the weight of their product some are watering the product down. Some are doing both.

Timbr Loc: Texas

petercbrandt wrote:

Many years ago l noticed the coffee cans going from 16 oz, then to 12, and now 10 oz but the same size can. C***ting the consummer has been going on for decades ! They are all in on it, Sad !

At one point around 80s most companies realized that rising price for same product reduces sales by a lot. So they just started to try to "stick" to same price while reducing how much they're selling - and it worked. I definitely remember some sort of article on this from 5-6 years ago.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

I have recently noticed the number of Milk Bones in a box has definitely shrunk. Even the dogs are victims.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Timbr wrote:

At one point around 80s most companies realized that rising price for same product reduces sales by a lot. So they just started to try to "stick" to same price while reducing how much they're selling - and it worked. I definitely remember some sort of article on this from 5-6 years ago.

They did, they did.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jinx wrote:

Greatgrand daughter was baking a cake. It called for 16oz. can of fruit cocktail. Surprisingly her can contained 16oz. However, there was a lot more juice (water) and a lot less fruit so the cake was a soggy mess. Not everyone reduces the weight of their product some are watering the product down. Some are doing both.

Oie!
(I thought there was more liquid (less product) in a couple of things.)

Condensed soups are even a victim. My wife and I used to split two almost filled bowls, now they seem to be 3/4 full.

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

I wonder if weights will rise and prices will drop if and when this 'Shrinkflation' tapers off.

Timbr Loc: Texas

Doddy wrote:

I wonder if weights will rise and prices will drop if and when this 'Shrinkflation' tapers off.

It probably won't happen unless specifically banned(which it won't be). It's just a situation of "I offer X of product at Y price and it's written on the packaging".