Consumers Association: shrinkflation still happening regularly in supermarkets

The Consumers Association is noticing that shrinkflation is still occurring in supermarkets. This is when supermarket products stay the same price while containing less content.

The Consumers Association reporting point Eerlijk received 250 reports of shrinkflation last year. This number is somewhat lower than in previous years. Consumers Association director Sandra Molenaar suggested that this is possible because many brands have reduced the content in their packages before.

“Or because consumers have not followed the shrinkage. This is logical because we see that manufacturers are changing the contents of packaging in small steps, very slyly," she said.

The Consumers Association has noticed that products changed the content of their packaging in a sly way in the past and have become smaller again. Examples of this were mature cheese from Maaslander and a box of Ariel washing capsules.

Molenaar stated that the manufacturers responded to the research by pointing to the shopkeepers who they claim set the prices. Some manufacturers also said that the reduction in content is due to improvements to the product, according to Molenaar.

“All bullshit arguments,” Molenaar said. “Be honest and clear. Put on the packaging that there will now be less content or keep the content the same and raise the price. Not nice, but it is fair.”