SNEAKY supermarkets and food makers shrunk more than 200 products in just two years – while not cutting the price.
Chocolate bars, cereal boxes and loaves of bread have been the products most likely to have been affected by “shrinkflation”, where stores charge the same for smaller packs.
New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), released yesterday, revealed that 206 products shrank in size between September 2015 and June 2017.
They included bread and cereals, meat, sugar, jam, syrups, chocolate and other confectionery.
Among the worst offenders were fish fingers, which dropped from 12 a pack to 10, and Doritos, which dropped from 200 grams to 180.
SHRINKFLATION
The ONS keeps a close eye on prices – for its monthly inflation figures. It sends hundreds of researchers into shops each month to record the prices of specific products – known as the “basket of goods” – to help calculate the rate of inflation.
As part of this process, they look out for pack sizes changing so that we can make sure they are comparing like with like.
Prices tend to stay the same when products change size, the ONS said – meaning shoppers were paying the same for a smaller pack size in most cases.
While the statistics agency said manufacturers had blamed the drop in size on the rising cost of raw materials, it dismissed the idea of Brexit being a factor behind the shrinkage.
The majority of size changes occurred in the food and drink sector.
Mike Hardie, head of inflation at the ONS
Despite the collapse in the pound following the Brexit vote driving up costs for businesses, the ONS said the amount of products hit by shrinkflation was around the same after the referendum as before.
Mike Hardie, head of inflation at the ONS, said: “Over the last few years, consumers may have noticed that some companies have reduced the size of their products while the price remained the same, which is often attributed to operational and material cost rises.
“Our updated analysis of this subject indicates which type of products have decreased in size.
“The majority of size changes occurred in the food and drink sector.
Everyday staples such as bread and cereal are most likely to have seen reductions in size, while consumers may also find some chocolate products to be smaller now than they once were.”
We’ve seen a trend over recent years of popular products reducing in size while their prices stay the same.
Alex Neill, Which?
Products within the food and drink category accounted for 70 per cent of the size reductions recorded by the ONS.
While a total of 206 products shrank in size between September 2015 and June 2017, 79 products increased in size.
Bread and cereal products saw the greatest frequency of changes in size in both directions.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Alex Neill, from Which?, said: “We’ve seen a trend over recent years of popular products reducing in size while their prices stay the same. Taken together, these practices can have a real impact at a time when many households are already facing a squeeze on their finances.
“Manufacturers and retailers may have legitimate reasons to make changes to the size of their products, but they must be upfront with their customers so that people can make an informed choice about how to spend their money.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
Link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/doritos-coco-pops-and-maltesers-among-200-products-shrunk-by-sneaky-supermarkets-and-manufacturers-without-cutting-the-price/
News Photo Doritos, Coco Pops and Maltesers among 200 products shrunk by sneaky supermarkets and manufacturers – without cutting the price
Advertising
You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!
Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/dk-graphic-quantity.jpg?strip=all&w=960
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий