British shoppers have erupted in anger after discovering the stark reality of shrinkflation hitting a beloved Easter treat, with many declaring the "country is a disgrace" over soaring prices.
The Shocking Price Hike for a Festive Favourite
As Easter approaches, the annual appearance of Cadbury's Mini Eggs on supermarket shelves is normally a welcome sight. This year, however, the reaction has turned to fury. Consumers have been left gobsmacked after comparing current prices with those from just a few years ago, revealing a dramatic decline in value.
In 2019, a 90g bag of Mini Eggs cost £1.15. Fast forward to early 2026, and the landscape is bleak for chocolate lovers. The bags have now shrunk to just 74g, yet the price has skyrocketed to £2.36 on the Cadbury website. This means shoppers are paying over double the price for 16 grams less product, a revelation that has sparked widespread condemnation on social media.
Public Outcry and Portion Size Controversy
The backlash has been fierce and public, with shoppers taking to platform X to vent their frustration. One man criticised the early sale of Easter chocolates, noting they had "doubled in price, lowered the weight and changed ingredients," leading him to stop eating chocolate in "silent protest."
Another angry post read: "Saw a packet of Mini Eggs this week. Price? £2.15. This country is a disgrace." The sentiment was echoed by others, with one person comparing the future cost to that of printer ink, and a woman expressing sheer disbelief that a family bag now costs over £6.
Adding fuel to the fire is the stated portion size. Cadbury suggests that a single serving consists of just eight Mini Eggs, a recommendation met with derision. "One portion to who? An ant?" asked one social media user, while another pointed out the near-impossibility of stopping at just eight of the crunchy shells.
Manufacturer's Defence and the Reality of Shrinkflation
Facing the storm, Mondelēz International, the parent company of Cadbury, has defended the changes. A spokesperson cited significantly higher input costs for ingredients like cocoa and dairy, alongside persistent expenses for energy and transport. The company stated it had absorbed costs where possible but faced "considerable challenges."
The practice at the heart of the controversy is known as 'shrinkflation' – where manufacturers reduce the size or quantity of a product while maintaining or increasing its price. It's a tactic often employed to manage rising production costs without implementing a clear price hike that might deter customers. For many consumers, the Mini Eggs saga has become a textbook example of this frustrating economic trend, feeling like a reduction in value for money despite the brand's assurance that taste and quality remain unchanged.
The spokesperson concluded that reducing the bag weight to 74g was a decision made to keep the product "competitive" in a difficult trading environment, emphasising it was a last resort.
