Shrinkflation: 6 Products With Smaller Packages in 2022

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on MousePrint.org.

With inflation rearing its ugly head, we are seeing not only a wave of direct price increases on groceries and household supplies, but also sneaky ones when manufacturers inconspicuously reduce the size of their products.

This downsizing — or “shrinkflation,” as it is also called — is so prevalent at the moment that we have to spend this week and next showing you the dozen examples we’ve collected.

Here’s a look at the first half-dozen examples of shrinkflation that we’ve noticed recently.

1. Charmin toilet paper

Over the past 60 years we’ve seen Charmin toilet paper go from 650 single-ply sheets on a roll to the equivalent of 90% less, assuming you could even find single rolls any longer. The latest change shows the “Mega” rolls going from 264 double-ply sheets per roll to 244. And “Super Mega” rolls went from 396 sheets to 366.

Thanks to our ace downsizing detector, Richard G., for this submission.

2. Earth’s Best Organic snack bars

It looks like a good math lesson comes courtesy of these Sesame Street-themed snack bars. Kids, can you say “seven” instead of “eight” bars are now in every box? That brings the total net weight of each box from 5.3 ounces down to 4.69 ounces.

Thanks to Richard G. again.

3. Pantene conditioner

Pantene Pro-V conditioner recently changed its packaging, going from a bottle to a tube. And somehow, close to 2 ounces of the product disappeared in the process: The squeeze tube contains 10.4 ounces, while the plastic bottle contained 12 ounces.

Thanks to Richard G. for spotting this change.

4. Keebler cookies

Coming to supermarket shelves soon are new, smaller packages of Keebler cookies.

The net weight of Keebler’s Chips Deluxe with M&Ms cookies in the standard size package, for example, is going from 11.3 ounces down to 9.75 ounces. The “family size” package is shrinking from 17.2 to 14.6 ounces.

Meanwhile, packages of Keebler E.L. Fudge Elfwich cookies lost 1.6 ounces.

5. Gatorade

Gatorade has come in 32-ounce bottles forever, it seems. Now the product has gone on a diet and the new bottles have developed a waistline. That indent around the middle of the bottle is a telltale sign that the new bottles hold less — 4 ounces less, in fact. But, the new and old-style bottles are the exact same height.

6. Snyder’s pretzel pieces

Snyder’s of Hanover Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces now have a “new look” and “big flavor” but come in a smaller size: The bag’s net weight is 11.25 ounces instead of 12 ounces.

Thanks to Richard G. for spotting this change.

If you find a product that has been downsized recently, please send a before and after picture with the net weight or net count showing to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org.