‘Shrinkflation’ is a pretty common phenomenon in today’s world. It’s the practice of company’s offering less product for the same price or more.
Freddos aren’t quite a perfect example as their weight has been relatively consistent, but their increased price outstripping inflation by a fair margin is nevertheless a good example of how some companies stop your cash from going as far as it used to.
Sticking with the chocolate theme, let’s take a look at Celebrations. These tubs of assorted chocolate treats are classic Christmas fare, but you can pick them up year-round.
Over the years, the Galaxy Truffle has been dropped from the lineup, and the Manchester Evening News (MEN) reported in 2024 that the tubs have grown smaller.
While the Truffle was replaced with Twix – hardly a bad trade in our books – in 2011, a debate rages over whether it’s acceptable for the tubs to have shrunk since then.
Posting on TikTok, Deborah Lee Cowell shared her findings from a comparison between a 2009 tub and a 2023 tub.
The immediate difference is the tubs’ size, with the older one being considerably bigger. This doesn’t mean anything in and of itself: there may still be the same number of treats inside, with the smaller tub being a more eco-friendly and space-saving option than yesteryear’s.
It seems the weight has taken a big dive too, however, that isn’t just attributable to the diminished plastic use.
The 2009 tub, complete with wrappers, weighed 1kg according to Deborah, while the 2023 version weighed just 613g.
Sadly, her 2009 tub has long-since been retired as a sweets receptacle, at least for people. It’s been working hard in her cupboard as a dog treat box for quite some time, it seems.
Comments were suitably negative, with one person saying “you can see the bottom of the tub there's that little in them”. While it’s a fair point, this person sounds an awful lot like a cat who’s demanding their near-full food bowl is topped up.
Another lamented the fact that “in a few years time that will be even smaller”.
The MEN’s 2024 article reported that people were outraged by the shrinkflation.
"What a rip off,” said one person, while another added: "Yes, just don't buy them, it's crazy."
In response, a Mars Wrigley spokesperson said:
"We have been actively trying to find ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations, as we know the increase in the cost of living has impacted both consumers and businesses across the UK.
"Unfortunately, the growing pressures mean that more needs to be done. Reducing the size of our products is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favourite Celebrations treats without compromising on quality or taste. The tub itself has also been reduced in order to reduce the plastic used in the packaging by 17% to help us meet our sustainability targets as a business."
A win for the environment? Sure. A win for your wallet? Definitely not.
Featured Image Credit: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Rachael Davis