Which one? According to the survey, more than three-quarters of people are aware of “shrinkflation” and 36% are aware of “skimflation.”
Saturday, January 20, 2024 02:11, United Kingdom
Mouthwashes, tea bags and sausages are all falling victim to “shrinkflation” as manufacturers and retailers cut costs, a watchdog has found.
Which one? Listerine Fresh Burst Mouthwash has been reduced from 600ml to 500ml, but the price has increased by 52p at Tesco, with a shopper finding he was 17% cheaper and he was forced to pay 21% more I did. This represents a 46% increase in price per 100 ml.
PG Tips Tasty Decaf Pyramid teabags are also now available in many supermarkets, from 180 to just 140.
Spending Calculator: See which prices have gone up or down
Also, the Lurpak Salted Butter Box has been reduced in size from 225g to 180g, the Yeo Valley Organic Salted Spreadable has been reduced in size from 500g to 400g, and the Coffee Mate Original Whitener has been reduced in size from 500g to 450g, but which one?
Consumer groups have warned that the pork content in Tesco Finest Sausage will be reduced from 97% to 90%, and the butter content in Yeo Valley Spreadable Butter will be reduced from 54% to 50%. , found that other products were downgraded by reducing their content of expensive raw materials in an example of so-called “skimflation.”
Which one? The survey found that more than three quarters of people (77%) are aware of ‘shrinkflation’ and 36% are aware of ‘skimflation’.
Manufacturers told watchdogs that the changes often reflected their costs, helped keep their products more affordable for consumers, and in some cases improved the flavor or healthiness of their products. Told.
Which one? Retail editor Elle Clark said: ‘Supermarkets and manufacturers are making sure changes to popular products are clear and are updating unit prices in-store and online to make it easier for shoppers to compare prices on different products. “We need to be more forthright in making sure that our information is visible, legible and consistent.” Brand and pack size. ”
A spokesperson for Kenview, the company that makes Listerine, said: “Like many other manufacturers, we are facing rising costs, particularly in raw materials and manufacturing costs, which has forced us to adjust our prices.”
“The current suggested retail price (RRP) for Listerine reflects these cost increases and our continued investment in the product.While we as the manufacturer set the recommended retail price (RRP) The final price determination is at the retailer’s sole discretion.”
Lipton Teas, the maker of PG Tips, said, “The average price of PG Tips decaf tea bags fell 10% between January 2021 and January 2022, according to Nielsen national price data.” .
“Pricing is, of course, at the retailer’s absolute discretion, and it is entirely possible that in-store promotional activity may influence Which?’s investigation.”
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A spokesperson for Arla, which manufactures Lurpak, said: “Our new 400g spread and 200g block options have not been kept at the same price. As we have reduced pack sizes, prices have also fallen proportionately. Not only that, the pack size has become smaller, but the price per kg has also come down.”
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “Product changes are often made to make them tastier and healthier. In the case of our Finest Sausage, we have made changes in 2021 to deliver healthier and better tasting products. The recipe has been updated.”
Nestlé, which makes Coffee Mate Original, said: “Like other manufacturers, we are facing significant increases in raw material, energy, packaging and transportation costs, making our products more expensive to manufacture.” Stated.
“While we are doing everything we can to manage these costs in the short term, we may need to make minor adjustments to the weight of our products to maintain the highest quality standards.”
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A Yeo Valley spokesperson said: “Yeo Valley Organic shared the news with consumers via its website and email in advance of the in-store changes.
“There is no hiding the fact that the cost of producing high-quality, delicious organic food has never been higher.
“Prices are set by retailers, but we have made the difficult decision to reduce pack sizes to keep organic as accessible as possible.”
Deltapol surveyed 1,568 UK adults in October.