

"Generally speaking, the big paper manufacturers have been the most prolific downsizers changing the size of paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, etc. some 13 years after Breyers (a Unilever company) did," said Dworsky. "Tillamook, a farmer-owned company, finally gave in and downsized their ice cream from 56 oz. He said that downsizing is an "equal opportunity tactic" used by companies small and large. And sometimes they may do both."ĭworksy told Nguyen that shrinkflation is nothing new and has been around since the days of the five-cent candy bar, but that's it's never been as bad as it is right now. "Manufacturers tell me when they face increased costs of raw materials or the price of gasoline goes up making it more expensive to ship their goods to the store, they are under pressure to either raise prices or downsize their products. It's a sneaky way to pass on a price increase."ĭworsky said in an earlier email to TODAY that the downsizing of products comes in waves, usually as a result of inflation. "So when they give you less it's called downsizing or shrinkflation. "Manufacturers can either raise the price of an item, or they can give you less," Edgar Dworsky, founder and editor of Consumer World, told NBC News senior consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Nguyen.

NBC News reached to the brands for comment but did not receive a response. According to Consumer World, brands such as Doritos, Sun Maid and Chobani have all recently downsized their products.
