Grocery Shrinkflation Has Been Happening For Longer Than You Might Think - Tasting Table

Consumers noticed packaged foods getting smaller while prices stayed the same after the COVID-19 pandemic, a pattern called shrinkflation. Companies use smaller quantities to cope with increased costs without directly raising shelf prices. Similar tactics appeared in the Middle Ages when bread prices were expected to remain fixed to prevent riots and unrest. When grain became scarce, bakers could not raise prices, so they made smaller loaves to compensate, risking detection and severe punishment. Shrinkflation later resurfaced widely in the 1970s during the energy crisis and expanded across grocery categories by the 1980s. The term “shrinkflation” gained popularity in the early 2000s, becoming especially noticeable during the 2008 recession, including public brand announcements such as Häagen-Dazs reducing ice cream ounces in 2009.

"In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers became acutely aware that their favorite packaged foods had gotten smaller while remaining the same price. This phenomenon is called shrinkflation, and it's a way for companies to cope with increased costs without directly raising prices. Shrinking the product is a less obvious type of inflation, and even though it feels like a modern phenomenon directly related to capitalism, the strategy actually dates back several centuries."

"During periods when grain was scarce, bakers couldn't just raise the prices, so they resorted to making smaller loaves to compensate. They were likely hoping the customers wouldn't notice, but people weren't that easy to trick when it comes to their daily bread. When found out, the bakers were sanctioned, publicly ostracized, and punished - sometimes by being put in a cage and repeatedly dunked into a river."

"The practice finally made a widespread comeback in the 1970s as a result of the energy crisis, and by the '80s, it was affecting multiple categories of groceries. Shrinkflation got its name in the early 2000s. The practice became particularly noticeable during the 2008 recession, as some brands opted to be transparent about it."

"For example, in early 2009, Häagen-Dazs announced that it was shrinking its 16-ounce ice cream to 14 ounces, citing the rising costs and refusal to compromise on ingredients. In the next two decades, many brands followed suit, with products gradually getting sm"

Read at Tasting Table