A fifth of consumers are boycotting products affected by shrinkflation, according to a new report from Barclays. The practice, where items are reduced in size but sold at the same price, has been noticed by two-thirds of shoppers, with 20% now switching to alternatives to get better value for money.
Examples of shrinkflation include McVitie’s Digestives shrinking from 400g to 360g, Ben’s Original Classic Long Grain Microwave Rice down from 250g to 220g, and Pringles reduced from 200g to 185g. Even household products like Fairy washing-up liquid have been affected, with bottles down by 50ml.
Wagon Wheels, first introduced in the 1940s, maintained their size until 2006 when they shrank by 12%. The trend has sparked quiet rebellion rather than protests, with shoppers opting for own-brand alternatives instead of downsized products.
While there is no prominent activist against shrinkflation in the UK, Edgar Dworsky’s website Mouseprint.org highlights instances in the US. However, consumers are becoming their own freedom fighters by choosing not to buy shrinkflated items, which could impact manufacturers’ profits and encourage reconsideration of the practice.
