British shoppers are facing a hidden price hike as popular supermarket products are quietly shrinking in size while maintaining their original price tags. This sneaky practice, known as 'shrinkflation', is hitting households across the UK during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The Shrinking Shopping Basket
Our investigation has uncovered six everyday essentials that have recently decreased in size:
- Chocolate Treats: Your favourite chocolate bars are becoming noticeably smaller, with some brands reducing their bar sizes by up to 10%
- Toilet Roll Reduction: Essential bathroom products are seeing significant decreases in sheet counts per pack
- Crisp Pack Downsizing: What appears to be the same-sized bag now contains fewer crisps
- Yoghurt Portion Shrinkage: Pot sizes are diminishing while prices remain unchanged
- Biscuit Packet Blues: Fewer biscuits in each packet for the same cost
- Cleaning Product Concentration: Larger bottles are being replaced with smaller alternatives
Why Shrinkflation Hurts Household Budgets
This subtle form of inflation is particularly damaging because it's harder for consumers to spot. While we're all conditioned to notice price increases, fewer people check the weight or quantity of products they regularly purchase.
"Shrinkflation is essentially a hidden tax on consumers," explains consumer rights expert Sarah Wilkinson. "Families are effectively paying more for less during a time when every penny counts."
How to Protect Your Wallet
- Always check the unit price rather than just the package price
- Compare weight and quantity between different brands
- Be aware of packaging redesigns - they often signal size changes
- Consider switching to supermarket own brands that may offer better value
- Report noticeable shrinkflation to trading standards authorities
The practice of shrinkflation isn't illegal, but consumer groups argue it undermines transparency and makes accurate price comparison increasingly difficult for shoppers already struggling with rising living costs.
