Lighter products, but also more expensive. The Foodwatch consumer association denounces “shrinkflation”, this “hidden inflation” which consists of maintaining or increasing the price of a product while reducing the quantity sold. The work of the NGO, unveiled Thursday, September 1, served as a basis for journalists from “Complément d’Enquête”, the France 2 magazine, whose Thursday evening issue (at 11 p.m.) is devoted to the methods of the great distribution in this period of soaring prices.
Foodwatch points in particular to six flagship products on the shelves of supermarkets whose prices have jumped, even as their weight has decreased. The NGO cites the cases of Kiri cheese, Saint Hubert margarine, Saint Louis sugar, Salvetat water, Lindt chocolate or Tesseire syrup.
Kiri has reduced her portions, from 20 to 18 grams. However, the price per kilo, noted by Foodwatch at Auchan, took 11%. The pot of Saint Hubert Omega 3 margarine has lost 4% of its weight, going from 240 to 230 grams, but its price per kilo has increased by 18% over the past three years, according to Foodwatch. Lindt’s Pyrenean milk chocolate boxes now only have 24 bites instead of 30, according to the NGO. Or 20% less. At the same time, the price per kilo observed at Carrefour by the association has increased by 30% since 2020.
The Saint Louis brand sugar packets went from 500 and 750 gram formats to a single 650 gram format three and a half years ago, for a price per kilo inflated by 29% at Carrefour, according to Foodwatch. Giant Danone’s Salvetat water bottles are now only 1.15 liters or instead of 1.25 liters two years ago. Or 8% less liquid. But at Intermarché, the organization has assessed the price increase per liter at 15%. Tesseire grenadine syrup has gone from 75 cl to 60 cl, i.e. 20% less, since 2019. However, the price per liter has soared by 37% at Carrefour.
Foodwatch denounces “the opacity” of these practices. “Companies do everything so that we do not realize itdenounces Camille Dorioz, head of campaigns for the NGO joined by franceinfo. “With the price of the product per unit, you don’t feel like a big increase, whereas you are on increases of 30 to 40% sometimes looking at the price per kilo.”
Foodwatch fears that in this period of high inflation (nearly 6% over one year), linked to the rise in the price of raw materials, these practices will not develop in the food industry. “We know that inflation will continue (…) we could have a lot of ‘shrinkflation’ in the coming months”, warns Camille Dorioz. The NGO is also launching a petition to encourage manufacturers and distributors to clearly inform consumers.