‘Shrinkflation’ in popular grocery products still impacting families
Posted December 5, 2023 4:24 pm.
The “shinkflation” phenomenon, where you get less for the same amount, continues to impact popular grocery products.
The latest example is Kraft Dinner where a box used to be 225 grams and it has now shrunk to 200 grams while maintaining the same cost.
BC Premier David Eby says he understands the outrage at companies like Kraft when so many families are struggling.
“They are playing with fire because people are struggling while they are making those record profits. It doesn’t matter whether it’s rising interest rates and the Bank of Canada and the impact that has on housing here in British Columbia or companies that are engaged in this kind of conduct,” he said.
He adds that a difference of 25 grams of macaroni and cheese may not seem like a “game changer” but this is unnecessary as “the company has more than $3 billion in net profits so far this year.”
Over the past year, people have also noticed all types of products from chips to cereal have decreased in volume while the price has remained the same.
“These companies really need to understand that they continue to post record profits at a time when families are struggling to shirk the size of the food which they provide is nutritionally debatable,” Eby said.
A spokesperson for Kraft Heinz tells CityNews they reduced package volume because of increased “production costs.”
“The food industry continues to navigate inflationary pressures across ingredients, labor, and transportation, and Kraft Heinz is not exempt from these pressures … we have reduced the total volume of grams per packaged box for Kraft Dinner and updated the packaging to reflect this change.”
The federal government has been looking at issues related to stabilizing escalating grocery costs, including shrinkflation.
Eby’s comments come as MPs in Ottawa continue their questioning of grocery store executives over the prices Canadians are paying for food.
“It is not acceptable … and the bottom line is, people are on the edge right now,” Eby said.
