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Shoppers are so put off by shrinkflation, manufacturers’ practice of making products smaller rather than raising prices, that almost half (48%) choose a different brand when they notice a product has been shrinkflated, according to a 2022 report by Morning Consult.
But that’s if they notice. What many find insidious about the practice is that it can be easy to miss that you’re paying the same (or more) for less when, say, a Fritos bag shrinks from 9.75 ounces to 9.25 ounces, or a Charmin mega roll from 264 sheets to 244.
But now Carrefour, a grocery chain in France, is drawing attention to shrinkflation by festooning shelves with signs warning shoppers that a product has been shrinkflated.
Touché: The signs, as translated from the French by The Grocer, say, “This product has seen its weight drop and the price charged by our supplier increase. We are committed to renegotiating this price.”
About five inches square, the signs debuted September 11 on at least 122 products, including from major manufacturers including Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever.
“This way we have the most reliable information possible for consumers, because it is unacceptable to do this to consumers,” Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard said on French television, as quoted by Antwerp-based RetailDetail.
Baguette real: It’s not the only bataille being waged against shrinkflation in France:
- The Intermarché supermarket chain flagged some products for shrinkflation earlier this summer, explaining on signs that its “role is to offer you your favourite brands but also to alert you to these behaviours,” according to The Grocer.
- Bruno Le Maire, France’s minister of the economy, called shrinkflation “totally revolting” and announced he is pursuing a law in France that would require manufacturers to disclose prominently on packaging when they’ve shrunk a product without lowering the price.
US of…nay? Writing on his website, Mouse Print, consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky lauded the French supermarket for naming and shaming products when it comes to shrinkflation.
“We salute Carrefour for being the first retail chain to stand up to product manufacturers who try to pass on these sneaky price increases to consumers,” Dworsky wrote. “Will any US supermarket chain have the guts to do the same thing?”