Brands are reducing the size of their product containers amidst rising prices. This practice, known as shrinkflation or reduflation, is not new and is legal as long as the correct and clear price per kg is indicated. Test Achats, a consumer protection association, denounces the lack of transparency in this practice. While it may go unnoticed on store shelves, careful inspection reveals changes in product weight, such as a box of cheese going from 160 grams to 144 grams or syrup from 75 to 60 cl, while the price remains the same. Cereals and chocolates are often the most affected products. Isabelle Schuiling, professor of marketing, explains that a study in Great Britain shows this affects only 2% of products. Manufacturers use this commercial technique to maintain their margins and retain customers. However, brands do not always inform consumers of this change, which can lead to anger and loss of consumer trust. The association pleads for more transparency and advises consumers to always check the unit price of products to avoid falling into this pricing trap.
In the midst of rising prices, brands are taking advantage of this to reduce the container of their product. The practice is not new but it is certainly not illegal. The consumer protection association, Test Achats, denounces a lack of transparency.
On the shelves, it may escape you. But on closer inspection, the weight of certain products has changed. A box of cheese going from 160 grams to 144 grams. Or a syrup from 75 to 60 cl. And always the same price displayed. This is called shrinkflation or reduflation.
That they raise the prices, but walking around is not the right solution
A legal practice
“They are trying to cover up and I don’t like it… They raise prices, but walking around is not the right solution”argues a consumer. “If I want the product, I take it. So I get tricked”considers another client.
And yet the practice is legal. The only condition required is that the price per kg must be correct and clearly indicated.
Often cereals and chocolates
So how many products are affected by this practice? Answer with Isabelle Schuiling, professor of marketing: “We have no study in Belgium, but a study in Great Britain shows that it is often on cereals and chocolates that this can happen and that it would only affect 2% of products”.
This commercial practice is chosen by manufacturers to maintain their margins and not lose customers.
The consumer is not always informed
Does this technique represent real savings? In 2014, the British magazine Time took the example of a famous brand of crisps which had removed five crisps from its packet. Considering that each crisp weighs 14g, that’s a saving of nearly 20 cents. And knowing that the brand sells 200 million packets of chips per year. This represents roughly a saving of 40 million euros per year for the manufacturer.
But do brands warn the consumer? Not always.
This can anger consumers
We contacted several. Only one company replied to us by email, to justify the new grammage of its cheese cubes: “This is not a simple portion reduction. The mention ‘new recipe’ was clearly indicated on the packaging. This new recipe is more natural and without additives”.
But for Julie Frère, spokesperson for the consumer association, this practice has a risk, especially if the consumer is not warned: “There’s a study that showed that once a consumer identifies that they’ve been the victim of shrinkflation, they’re not going to buy any more products from that brand, so you can really see that it can cause anger consumers”.
Check the unit price of the products
Faced with these hidden price increases, the association pleads for more transparency: “We know very well that a consumer who is used to buying the same product all the time will not necessarily look at the quantity present in the packaging each time. We would like there to be at least a specific mention change in quantity or simply an increase in price”.
In the meantime, to avoid pitfalls, a piece of advice: always check the unit price of products in store.
In conclusion, while shrinkflation or reduflation may be a legal practice, it leaves consumers feeling deceived and unable to trust brands. The lack of transparency regarding changes in product weight can cause frustration and anger in customers. Therefore, it is important for brands to clearly indicate any changes in product weight or price, and for consumers to always check the unit price of products in stores to avoid being trapped by this hidden price increase technique.
