Customers are not happy
Popular confectionary brands Cadbury and Mars have come under fire after unhappy customers have spotted a huge decrease in chocolates for the same price. ‘Grab bags’ are a popular product for those looking for a sweet treat, but it seems the favourite snack has been victim to ‘shrinkification’.
Both chocolate makers have melted down their offerings by almost 11%, in what can only be assumed as an attempt to lower its costs due to inflation. However, shoppers are paying the same but getting less.
Smaller pouches were spotted in one Tesco store, advertised as “new”, while making the previous larger versions are no longer available to purchase online. For example, Galaxy Minstrels More to Share bags have seen a sneaky decrease from 217g a bag to 195g. This is more than a 10% reduction, but the price still stands at £2.75.
Meaning that customers are expected to fork out an extra 10p per 100g for this particular household favourite. It’s not alone, Cadbury’s Oreo Bites, Bitsa Wispa and Crunchie Rocks have also seen a disappearance of 9% of its product, per bag.
Other affected products include Mars Peanut M&M’s, which have been reduced from 125g to 112g. Not to mention, Maltesers which have been cut from 102g to just 93g.
Shrinkflation is a significant issue for shoppers worldwide, acting as a form of hidden inflation, as customers are parting with more of their money. It’s a well-oiled strategy used by many companies to help boost profits or to combat the rising input costs.
In doing so, customers are being driven away from buying their once favoured sweet treats. One unhappy customer, Alice, told The Sun: “It’s absolutely ridiculous; even the small pleasures are being quietly made more expensive.
“It’s so sad, these packs are specifically designed to be shared between groups of people. We used to be able to grab a sweet treat without a second glance, but now we have to double-check that we’re getting value for our money.”
Others have taken to social media to share their dissatisfaction with products they’re buying off the supermarket’s shelves. After buying a packet of mini eggs, a disgruntled shopper took to X: “@CadburyUK Look at the state of these mini eggs, all cracked and broken. Not content with reducing packet size and charging more, we now have damaged goods too.”
Another X user wrote in response to Cadbury’s post about their Caramilk bar: “You started shrinkflation over 10 years ago and have not stopped, soon we will be buying empty wrappers with a chocolate smell.”
Responding to the allegations, a Mars Wrigley UK spokesperson told The Sun: “At Mars Wrigley, our focus is always on offering great-tasting, high-quality chocolate at the best possible value.
“We have been actively looking at ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations, but unfortunately, the growing pressures mean that more needs to be done.
“Reducing the size of some of our products whilst raising prices is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favourite treats without compromising on quality or taste.”
The UK’s trade relationships have changed since leaving the EU, resulting in further checks, forms, and steps required to transport goods across the border. This could be a big reason contributing towards the barriers businesses are now facing.
An LSE study found in 2021 alone, Brexit increased food prices by around six per cent overall. Since then, it seems supermarket prices continue to rise and rise.
A spokesperson from Mondelēz International, home to Cadbury’s, shared: “We understand the economic pressures that consumers continue to face, and any changes to our product sizes is a last resort for our business.
“However, as a food producer, we are continuing to experience significantly higher input costs across our supply chain, with ingredients such as cocoa and dairy, which are widely used in our products, costing far more than they have done previously.”
“Meanwhile, other costs like energy and transport also remain high. This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make, and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges.
“As a result of this difficult environment, we have had to make the decision to slightly reduce the weight of some products so that we can continue to provide consumers with the brands they love, without compromising on the great taste and quality they expect.”