Honey, I shrunk the snacks
The portions get smaller but the price stays the same. It’s a subtle form of inflation because you are paying more for each bite or sip
It all began with a packet of chips. The joke goes — you buy a packet of chips and receive 50% extra air. Consumers have long been complaining about packets of chips — half empty or half full depending on your outlook — importantly, not filled to the top as one would hope. It’s always a little disheartening but aside from a grumble on social media, consumers often swallow it right up. After consumers spent 2016 up in arms over smaller Toblerone bars as the Mondelez-owned company spaced out its signature triangles so that there was less chocolate in each bar — they began to notice a trend. It wasn’t just Toblerone that had shrunk its packaging.The phenomenon is called shrinkflation — bottles of Coca-Cola, Cadbury’s chocolate bars and Toblerone bars all get smaller but the price stays the same. It’s a subtle form of inflation because you are paying more for each bite.Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings says: “It effectively acts in the same way as inflation by reducing purchasing powe...
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