Does anyone have any recent examples to share of “Skimpflation”, which is when a business reduces the quality of a good or a service but not the price or (in the case of packaged products) the total quantity.
It contributes to inflation but can be more difficult to spot than “shrinkflation” which is when the unit price (price per unit of measure) increases as a result of a reduction in the total amount in a packaged product but no change, or a smaller % reduction, in the selling price.
Weetbix - didn’t you cut them in half and put Vegemite/jam on them? Try doing that now and don’t mention all the crumbs at the bottom of the pack.
Maccas.
I wish I’d had the foresight to take photographs of Big Macs back in 1975, together with a ruler to give an idea of size.
I know they have shrunk over the years and are now a lame reproduction of the original, but I don’t have the photos to prove it.
BB
Presuming that the quality of the ingredients has not not changed, this is probably another (but difficult to quantify) example of shrinkflation (i.e. the total quantity is smaller), rather than than skimpflation.
But, for example if lettuce is very expensive and is entirely or partially replaced with cabbage, IMO it would be skimpflation if most consumers regarded cabbage as inferior to lettuce.
I wonder if the same can be said of the “Quarter pounder” or “double quarter pounder”? Proudly made from all Australian beef.
IE is it still a patty weighing 113.4gms or 226.8gms?
