Although sometimes we are not aware of them, in times of inflation companies reduce the amount of product we receive for the same price. Such is life in a world plagued by pandemics and wars.
Excited, you open the bag of your favorite chips and begin to enjoy them only to discover that something has changed: you are still hungry and they are gone too quickly. After analyzing the situation, you come to a terrifying conclusion: the bag contained fewer potatoes than usual . The strangest thing is that you paid exactly the same price as last week.
What happened? It's called shrinkflation and it's the process by which brands reduce the amount of product they sell to you so as not to have to increase its price in the face of inflation (it should be clarified that sometimes they do it too, although there is no inflation, to increase their profit margins).
In a world plagued by pandemics and wars, the prices of all products have increased. In Mexico, inflation during 2021 was 7.36%, in Spain 7.8%, in the United States 7% and in Argentina 50.9%. In 2022 the scenario does not look better. Most countries are seeing price increases and the war between Russia and Ukraine has already disrupted the supply chains of many products and the effects are being felt everywhere (if not, ask Mr. Elon Musk ).
Faced with the onslaught, brands have two options: increase their prices or offer a smaller amount of product for the same price. And since consumers are angry about having to pay more for the same thing, in many cases we will pay the same for less .
THE SHRINKFLATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
Years ago Reddit users opened a subreddit to document and evidence the shrinkage of some of the products they consumed. The volume of evidence has increased and among the products "flagged" we can find bags of chicken fajitas with 300 grams less, thinner antibacterial towels, energy drinks in smaller containers, chocolate jars with an inner bottom to fit less quantity, narrower toilet paper, hamburgers with less thick slices of bread, fans of the same size, but with smaller motors and gum strips with a space cancelled.
The list is endless. The effect of inflation is unavoidable. Look around you and you will find out. Such is life in a pandemic and war world.
By the way: I could have sworn the donut I ate this morning was smaller.
FAQs
A portmanteau of "shrink" and "inflation," shrinkflation is the practice of keeping the price of a product the same (or even increasing it), while shrinking its size. If you ever shook out a bag of snack-sized Doritos to find but a mere whisper of chips inside, this is a prime example of shrinkflation.
Why are there so few chips in a bag? ›
It turns out, that empty space in your chip bag isn't just air — it's Nitrogen gas, which is meant to stop the chips from breaking in the package as well as expel air, which actually turns the chips stale. There's even a name for the emptiness — “functional slack-fill.”
Why are there barely any chips in the bag? ›
The empty space is intentional and helps protect the chips during its journey from the production plant to the store and then your home. This ensures that customers get as many full chips as possible and not a bag of crumbs, according to Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor at McGill University.
Have Kettle chips got smaller? ›
PG Tips Tasty Decaf Pyramid tea bags went from containing 180 bags to 140 at a number of supermarkets. Kettle Chips Sea Salt and Crushed Black Peppercorns Crisps shrank from 150g to 130g at Tesco.
Are there less chips in bags now? ›
Snacks and beverages
Technically, that means there's only about five fewer chips per bag, but this still isn't news any of us likes to hear. Family-size boxes of Nabisco Wheat Thins are also shrinking. Before, one of these boxes would net you a pound of crackers.
Is there really a chip shortage? ›
The semiconductor shortage has been ongoing since 2022, causing a series of bottlenecks for chip manufacturers and the industries that rely on them.
How many bags of chips is OK? ›
Consuming four small bags of chips in one sitting may not be harmful, but it depends on various factors such as your body weight, age, and overall health. Consuming excessive amounts of chips can lead to an excessive intake of calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
Why is there a potato chip shortage? ›
Many growers sold supplies early in the season to save on storage, which demands a lot of energy to control for temperature and humidity. That means fewer potatoes are available to export as we move into the year.
Why stop eating chips? ›
Foods like chips, cake, crackers, and bacon can boost appetite by combining salt, fat, and sugar. Called hyper-palatable foods, they can drive us to overeat, potentially causing weight gain.
How much smaller have chip bags gotten? ›
What Is Shrinkflation? No, you're not just imagining it—that bag of Doritos has fewer chips than it used to. A bag that used to weigh 9.75 ounces is now 9.25 ounces, containing about 5 fewer chips, according to a spokesperson from Frito-Lay—the parent company of Doritos—who confirmed the change to Quartz.
9 Healthy Ways to Beat Your Potato Chip Addiction
- Acknowledge your addiction. ...
- Chill out. ...
- Focus on the rest of your diet. ...
- Don't let anyone tell you veggies are the answer. ...
- Think outside the party box. ...
- Switch up your work snacks. ...
- Embrace the wave of healthier crunch options. ...
- Learn to love popcorn.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the stale corn chips on a baking sheet in a single layer. Heat the chips in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they become warm and crisp again. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking, as they can quickly turn from crisp to burnt.
Is shrinkflation getting worse? ›
From 2019 to 2023, shrinkage added about 3.6 percentage points to inflation for products like paper towels and toilet paper, up from 1.2 percentage points from 2015 to 2019. Shrinkflation has also contributed more heavily to price increases in both candy and cleaning products in recent years.
Are Pringles thinner than they used to be? ›
Pringles on 'shrinkflation' claims
According to Pringles, the brand's chips and cans were made smaller back in 2016 to fit in with a new manufacturing facility that has different equipment to the original US factory, which caused controversy at the time.
Is shrinkflation a real thing? ›
While shrinkflation, the practice of downsizing product size or quantity while keeping the nominal price unchanged, has occurred, unfortunately for the administration, its economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) have revealed shrinkflation is not a significant culprit behind stubbornly high grocery prices.
Are Lays potato chip bags getting smaller? ›
Lay's Potato Chips
This time around, maybe because parties are getting smaller on account of COVID-19, Lay's is chipping away at the party size bag shrinking it from 15.25 ounces to 13 ounces.
Why is shrinkflation happening? ›
Shrinkflation is the reduction in the size of a product in response to rising production costs or market competition. Rather than increase the price of a product, the company simply offers a smaller package for the same sticker price.
