DAYTON — Consumers are experiencing sticker shock at grocery stores as ‘shrinkflation’ leads to smaller product sizes without a price decrease.
Shrinkflation is a trend where products become smaller while prices remain unchanged, affecting items like Ziploc bags, Cascade detergent, and Honey Nut Cheerios.
Edgar Dworsky from Consumer World.org explains that inflation and competitive practices are driving manufacturers to reduce product sizes.
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Dworsky notes that manufacturers often follow competitors in reducing product sizes, such as making paper towel rolls smaller.
Examples of shrinkflation include Ziploc sandwich bags decreasing from 280 to 270 per box, Cascade dishwasher detergent dropping from 52 to 47 packs, and Honey Nut Cheerios reducing from 29.4 ounces to 27.2 ounces.
Despite the size reduction, these products are often sold at the same price, as seen with Ziploc bags and Cascade detergent at Kroger and Walmart.
Dworsky advises consumers to check unit prices and consider store brands, which are usually the last to downsize.
Nancy Crombie, a shopper, expresses frustration over rising costs, noting that two bags of groceries used to cost around sixty dollars, but now one bag costs the same.
As shrinkflation continues, shoppers are paying more for less, highlighting the importance of being vigilant about product sizes and prices.
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