Have you noticed that your shopping bag is starting to feel a little lighter, even though you’re supposedly buying the same items? Don’t worry, this isn’t your imagination—some of your favourite products are quietly downsizing while their price tags creep up, which doesn’t seem fair. Frustratingly, these subtle changes often go unnoticed, and there’s probably not much we can do about it except for having a good old-fashioned moan. So, let’s vent our frustration together about the following products that have become a victim of “shrinkflation”.
Chocolate Bars
It’s no secret that, over the years, chocolate companies have been reducing the sizes and quantities of their products. Originally, it was the Wagon Wheel and the Curly Wurly, but just about every popular brand is doing it these days. A few grams here and there have disappeared, yet the prices just keep on climbing. The only benefit to this is for our waistline!
Laundry Detergent
Frustratingly, laundry detergents are another sneaky candidate in the shrinking trend. While brands often promote “more concentrated” formulas, the actual amount in the box has shrunk noticeably, making us wonder how truthful they’re really being. The way we see it, a box that used to last weeks now needs replacing sooner, all while prices bubble upwards.
Breakfast Cereals
These days, our favourite British breakfast cereals have also fallen victim to downsizing. Sure, the box size might look the same, but check the weight and you’ll see that the contents have quietly decreased. It’s no longer a struggle to fit the entire pack in your cupboard, but that’s not particularly comforting considering how much more we’re paying.
Toilet Rolls
Toilet paper is a particularly subtle offender in the world of shrinkflation. Rolls are shorter, sheets are thinner, and prices have soared. The cheek of it all is that brands often try to disguise the change with ‘improved quality’ claims, but we consumers are smarter than that.
Crisps
One of the most famous examples of shrinkflation in the UK is crisps, which seem to have lost their crunch in both size and quantity. Those once-bulging bags now often contain more air than snacks, though the cost rarely reflects the change. The classic argument is “portion control”, but we think it’s more about “profit control.”
Biscuits
Digestives, rich tea, and even luxury biscuits…it doesn’t matter what biscuits you choose–they’ve taken a hit. Packages are shrinking, as with any other product, but even the biscuits themselves seem to be losing some of their satisfying bite. There are fewer biscuits in a pack, the thickness is being reduced, and overall, we tea lovers are feeling a bit miffed.
Ice Cream
Don’t let the ice cream companies fool you by claiming that they’re trying to be healthier–when we want ice cream, we want to indulge, not worry about how much we’re eating! The most common problem here is that tubs are getting smaller, yet the price stays the same, or more realistically, gets higher.
Tea Bags
We never thought we’d be saying this, but even the classic British boxes of tea bags that used to seem bottomless are now running out surprisingly quickly. That’s because many brands have downsized the number of bags per box, with even the bulk boxes of 500 being stripped down to 400.
Shampoo Bottles
Another product that has been shrinking in size but rising in price is personal care products, such as shampoo, conditioner, and anything else you keep in your bathroom. Yes, bottles may look the same on the outside, but their contents have been stealthily reduced. Meanwhile, the price per millilitre creeps up, leaving some shoppers scratching their heads (and their wallets).
Spreads
Believe it or not, butter and spreads have undergone some quiet slimming of their own. Tub sizes have shrunk while the cost has spread out, leaving breakfast enthusiasts paying more for less. It’s a subtle change that only becomes clear when the tub runs out faster than usual, and it’s getting pretty tiresome.
Pasta
You wouldn’t think that cupboard staples such as pasta would ever be a victim of shrinkflation, but we’re here to tell you otherwise. What used to comfortably feed a family might now need a top-up to stretch as far, yet once again, the reduction definitely isn’t reflected by the stubbornly high prices.
Coffee Jars
Arguably, one of the most outrageous price hikes we’ve seen lately is ground coffee, and the jars are definitely getting smaller! Back in the day, huge jars used to last us weeks for just a couple of quid, yet now, we’re spending £5 or more for way smaller pots! Ultimately, coffee drinkers are feeling the pinch, just as the tea-drinkers are.
Soap Bars
You might not have noticed this, but soap bars have subtly slimmed down over time, with their dimensions shrinking along with their potency. It might not have seemed significant at first, but it’s now becoming apparent that they’re wearing down quicker in the shower. Combined with higher prices, it’s a quiet but noticeable change in daily essentials.
Pet Food
We’re particularly angry with how pet food manufacturers are reducing their portion sizes. Fine, you can attach our wallets with shrinkflation, but it’s not fair to put our pets through the pain too! Kibble, wet food, and even treats are coming in smaller packs, but you’ve guessed it–the prices are staying the same.
Ready Meals
Remember when buying the occasional microwave meal felt like a genuine treat, filling you up and, more often, leaving you in a food coma? Those days are gone, as portions have become so much smaller over the years. As with other treats on this list, the companies are justifying this for health reasons, but that’s nonsense–who’s eating a ready meal with their health in mind!?
Cheese
We’ve saved the worst shrinkflation victim for last–cheese. Even just ten years ago, this fridge staple was surprisingly cheap and would come in huge blocks. They’re so much smaller now, though, yet the price in comparison certainly isn’t. It’s pretty depressing because seemingly overnight, getting our cheese fix feels borderline unaffordable–and that’s just for mature cheddar, let alone brie or blue!
