Grocery prices are still rising, but you may be paying more for certain items without realizing it due to a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation.” Shrinkflation is when a product gets smaller but the price stays the same, and it can be very sneaky.
To help you keep your eyes open, here are 29 real-life examples of shrinkflation that people have spotted recently, and spoiler alert, they will make you mad:
1.
These K-Cup pods went from 12 in a box to 10.
2.
And these little packs of cream cheese that come with your bagel to-go are starting to look extra small.
3.
Can we even call these candies fun size anymore? Mild amusement size, perhaps?
4.
This bottle of canola oil went from 48 fluid ounces down to 40.
5.
The person who posted these cookies wrote, “Apparently, the ‘new recipe’ for these cookies shrank them considerably. Roughly two weeks separating these purchases.”
6.
And this package of cheese got 3 ounces lighter.
7.
Every single square of this toilet paper is just a little bit smaller than it used to be.
8.
Watch out when you notice a product has changed the design of its packaging. This is a common tactic manufacturers use to try to hide shrinkflation, like in the case of this oatmeal that went from a 10-pack to an 8-pack.
9.
This laundry detergent jug used to hold enough for 115 washes, but now it only contains enough for 100.
10.
The person who posted this sandwich wrote, “Pulled the sandwich out, and my first reaction was to just laugh at how ridiculous this corporate greed has gotten. Realized it was about the same size as the ketchup packet for my hash brown.”
11.
And this person thought they were buying a gallon jug of orange juice, until they brought it home and compared it to an actual gallon jug.
12.
I would never have expected the tube of toothpaste that came out of that box to be this small.
13.
These mini soda cans lost half a fluid ounce of pop per container, and still went up in price.
14.
And “Mr. Big,” if that even is his real name, is now 10 grams smaller.
15.
There’s one less energy bar per box now, as this package has shrunk from 6 to 5.
16.
This ground coffee got 5 ounces lighter, yet it costs a dollar more now.
17.
You can’t tell me that cereal boxes were always this skinny. There’s just no way.
18.
This sauce went from 15 ounces on the right to 14 ounces on the left, but what’s even wilder is that the shelf label still says 16 ounces. How small will it get?
19.
These trash bags shrank from 45 per box down to 40.
20.
And these crackers lost 2.5 ounces.
21.
A tub of this coffee now comes with 55 grams less.
22.
This burrito is almost laughably small now.
23.
And this moisturizer lost 3 ounces.
24.
These dryer sheets will now last 15 fewer washes.
25.
This 5-pack has shrunk to a 4-pack.
26.
This cereal lost 2 ounces, but the new, lighter box is taller, which just might trick your brain.
27.
And this “party size” bag weighs 2 ounces less.
28.
This trail mix pack lost 0.5 ounces, which equals 70 fewer calories per serving.
29.
And finally, last year, this package of gum came with 25 pieces, but this year, it’s down to 21.
Have you noticed any shrinkflation lately when you’re shopping or dining out? Tell us all about it in the comments.
