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Date Published: 26/09/2024

Shrinkflation strikes again: Spanish supermarkets reduce package size while increasing prices

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Of those surveyed, 60% of shoppers in Spain believe this practice is “unacceptable” and should be stopped

Shrinkflation strikes again: Spanish supermarkets reduce package size while increasing prices

Do you ever get the feeling you’re not getting quite as much bang for your buck at the supermarket as you did a few years ago? Well, it turns out there’s a good reason for this, and it’s not only down to the cost of living crisis or rising inflation.

Enter the aptly-named ‘shrinkflation’, a term used to describe the practice of reducing the overall size of a product while keeping its price the same, or even increasing it in some cases. This underhanded tactic is sadly nothing new, but a recent Global Inflation Monitor study carried out by the market research company Ipsos shows that it is becoming more and more common in Spain, even with supermarket own brand items.

This practice, though it might seem very unfair, isn’t actually illegal once the new volume is displayed on the packaging. But it does dupe a lot of shoppers who are unwittingly getting worse value for money out of their trolleys.

“Products such as detergent, which have been reduced by up to a quarter, and cereals, with 22% less content, are clear examples of how companies adjust their costs without modifying the visible price,” says Javier Cuervo, professor of Business Administration at UNIE University.

He added that “the problem is that many buyers do not detect these changes immediately, as the new sizes are not always clearly communicated on the label,” and this lack of transparency causes “consumers to feel cheated.”

In fact, the recent report showed that 60% of Spanish shoppers find this method of product ‘downsizing’ “unacceptable”. Among the supermarket items which customers have noticed shrinkflation the most are snacks, followed by bread, rice and pasta.

And while the stores aren’t technically doing anything wrong, the government is sitting up and taking notice of customer concerns. A new proposal has been submitted that would force companies to inform consumers clearly if the size or weight of a product has been reduced.

It remains to be seen if this will come into force in Spain and bring shrinkflation to an end once and for all.

In other news: The rising cost of groceries: Navigating food prices in Spain

Image: Pixabay

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