Shrinkflation at Australian supermarkets: how to spot it and what to do about it

What shrinkflation means

Shrinkflation is when a product gets smaller — fewer grams, millilitres or pieces per pack — while the price stays the same or increases. The result is a higher effective cost per unit, disguised by unchanged packaging design and shelf placement.

It is a common response by manufacturers to rising production costs. Rather than increasing the headline price (which shoppers notice easily), they quietly reduce the pack contents. The price tag looks the same; you get less.

How to spot it

The most reliable defence is reading the unit price on the shelf label — the price per 100 g or per 100 ml — rather than the pack price. If a product's unit price has gone up since your last purchase, either the pack price increased or the pack size decreased. Either way, you are paying more per unit.

Our unit pricing guide covers how to read shelf unit prices and use them for comparison.

Other signs to watch for:

• A pack that now says 180 g where it used to say 200 g — same shelf slot, same visual design
• A chip bag or biscuit box that feels lighter than usual
• "New look" packaging launched alongside a quieter size change
• Fewer items in a multipack (nine instead of ten)

Common categories where shrinkflation occurs

Packaged snacks, chocolate and confectionery, ice cream tubs, breakfast cereals, coffee and tea bags, cleaning products and personal care items are among the categories where size reductions are most commonly reported. These are also categories where the original size is easy to remember and the change is hard to spot without comparing labels directly.

What to do when you notice it

If a product's unit price has meaningfully increased — whether through a price rise or a size reduction — the response is the same:

• Compare against the store-brand or generic equivalent, which may not have changed
• Check whether another chain carries the same product at a better unit price
• Consider whether a different format (e.g. a larger catering pack or bulk option) offers a better unit rate

A quick search on TrolleyChecker for the specific product lets you compare unit pricing across retailers before committing to a purchase.

The honest limit

Shrinkflation is hard to track systematically without checking labels every visit. The most practical habit is making unit price your default comparison point whenever you pick up a repeat purchase — rather than assuming the pack is the same as last time.