"If you've not been feeling as full as you used to after wolfing down a hot dog, it's not you - it's the dog. For at least a couple of years, people online have been questioning whether their appetites were getting bigger or whether store-bought hot dogs are actually getting smaller. And the answer is quite clear: your hot dogs have been hit by shrinkflation."
"Shrinkflation is the practice of easing the pressure of inflation by quietly reducing how much you get for the same price. The tactic always feels a bit underhanded. For example, cereal companies try to trick customers by making the box bigger and the servings smaller. Now, a comparison between old and new product details on at least two hot dog brands shows that the total weight of a pack of eight frankfurters has come down by between 6% and 15%."
Shrinkflation reduces product quantity while keeping prices the same. Several mainstream hot dog brands have reduced pack weights; Nathan's eight-pack fell from 14 ounces to 12 ounces and Ballpark from 16 ounces to 15 ounces. Consumers have noticed thinner hot dogs and are sharing comparisons and photographs online. Reddit users cited older online listings and a historical 16-ounce standard to evidence reductions. The size changes affect bun fit and eating satisfaction. The tactic mirrors other cases such as cereal boxes increasing package size while lowering serving amounts. Multiple brands, including Trader Joe's and Hebrew National, are implicated.
Read at Tasting Table
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