Shrinkflation, meaning and damage for consumers

Translated by Silvia Faletto B. 

Sometimes, when we buy a product —cookies or breakfast cereals, for example, though the list could go on and on—, it feels like the box or package is lighter than before. Then, when we get home, we realize that the box is actually smaller, shorter, or designed differently—longer and narrower—and if we check the weight, it's confirmed that it's lighter than before, maybe just by a few grams, but the price hasn't moved.

So why does it happen? This phenomenon is called “shrinkflation” or “hidden inflation”, and it refers specifically to packages that get smaller while the product’s price remains the same—part marketing strategy, part a way to keep costs down despite price hikes caused by wars, international crises, and climate change. 

In fact, experts keep pointing this out: “Packages are getting smaller and the contents are getting lighter, but the price isn’t going down. It’s called ‘Shrinkflation,’ and it’s a phenomenon to watch out for at the supermarket.”

And it’s precisely at the supermarket, when we’re doing our usual weekly shopping, that we need to pay particular attention to what we’re buying and its weight—which might be lower than before but still cost the same or even more than before. After all, it’s easy to trick consumers with products they buy regularly by slightly decreasing the quantity and replacing the packaging under the pretext of a new design or a particularly significant celebration.

Have you ever noticed? New packaging means new colors and a fresh look, but sometimes the product inside is reduced while the price remains the same—or even goes up. Less product for a higher price is just one of the strategies used by companies to deal with recent rising costs, including higher prices for raw materials, high electricity bills, and all the difficulties caused by the current international situation.

There are many examples of shrinkflation to be observed just by going grocery shopping; you can observe how many of the products we usually buy come in different packaging but with a lower net weight—only slightly reduced, but still enough to save companies money.

Nelsen dish soap clearly shows that the new packaging contains less product than the previous one, yet consumers will pay exactly the same price.

Another famous example are Pringles chips, which are so popular among younger consumers; here, too, we can see that the number of chips in the package has significantly decreased, yet the price remained unchanged.

There are so many examples of this—we could go on listing them for hours—, and many companies use Shrinkflation to cut costs on raw materials, electricity, and other expenses without consumers noticing. That’s why Shrinkflation is also called “hidden inflation”: it means that even if we don’t realize it, we’re paying more for a smaller quantity of product.

Since July 15, 2026, new rules have been introduced in Italy to protect consumers. The decision was taken to provide consumers with information and raise their awareness of Shrinkflation so that buyers know exactly whether the product’s contents have been reduced.

In fact, recent developments in Italy have been positive. The new provisions of Italy's Consumer Code require “retailers to label products sold in packages with a reduced weight or volume compared to the previous version for a period of three months.” In practice, manufacturers are required to notify retailers, and retailers, in turn, are obliged to inform consumers by including clear labeling on the packaging to indicate the product reduction.

In fact, what consumers focus on is the price, not the weight, so they don’t notice a slight but significant decrease in weight, but they need to clearly understand that—even if it doesn’t seem like it—they’re paying significantly more for the products they buy most regularly.

Shrinkflation remains a slow-burning phenomenon, but it’s hitting consumers’ wallets much harder than they realize; families are getting poorer, even if everyday expenses are becoming more expensive, which is leading to a downturn in consumer purchasing.

Furthermore, this phenomenon is also environmentally dangerous, because while the packaging remains the same, the product’s contents decrease, releasing more plastic into the natural environment. Just think about how much plastic goes into a product’s wrapping, which, when combined with reduced contents, results in nothing but waste and unnecessary increases in trash.

In conclusion, one of the safest ways to protect ourselves from Shrinkflation is to carefully read labels and check the weight of the items we’re buying.

In summary, the basic rules are: 

• always check the price per kilogram or liter; 
• remember that if the packaging or recipe changes, you should check the weight because it’s likely to have decreased; 
• compare package sizes, not just brands; compare supermarkets as well, since there may be good deals; 
• remember to examine multipacks and promotions carefully, as they may hide Shrinkflation.

Mondo Internazionale APS - Riproduzione Riservata ® 2026