Explaining the Shrinking Chocolate Bar: The Reasons Behind the Reduction in Size
It’s common knowledge that the price of chocolate has been rising for years. But did you know that in many cases, the size of chocolate bars has shrunk while their cost remains the same? In many cases, companies have cut back on their product sizes to increase profits and keep prices artificially high.
This is known as “shrinkflation” — a term that was first coined by researchers at Oxford University earlier this year. This article will explain why chocolate bars have shrunk, how much they have shrunk, and what you can do about it.
What is shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is the phenomenon of shrinking product sizes while prices remain constant or even increase. As chocolate bars shrink, you may notice that the price of many other products also increase.
This is because shrinking product size to increase the price is a common way to offset rising costs. The shrinking of product sizes is not always due to companies trying to increase their profits. It can also be due to a shift in the global supply chain and efforts to reduce packaging waste.
Why are chocolate bars shrinking?
There are three main reasons why the size of chocolate bars has shrunk: The first reason is rising raw materials costs. The price of cocoa has been steadily increasing for several years due to a variety of issues and is expected to continue to rise.
This is a major cause of shrinkflation across the board, particularly in the food and beverage sectors. The second reason is the UK’s decision to leave the EU and the resulting drop in the value of the pound. This has led to an increase in the costs of imported goods, which in turn has pushed many companies to shrink the size of their products to keep prices the same.
The third and perhaps most surprising reason is product standardization. Many companies are shifting towards globally consistent product sizes to simplify cross-border trade. As a result, many bars have been reduced to fit into this standard.
Which brands have shrunk the most?
There are dozens of chocolate brands that have shrunk their products in recent years. Here are the five that have shrunk the most: – Cadbury’s Dairy Milk bars have shrunk by a whopping 16%. This once-ubiquitous British chocolate bar now has a reduced weight of 58g (previously 71g).
Cadbury’s Creme Eggs have shrunk by 15%, Mars bars by 14%, and Nestlé Crème Caramel bars by 14%. – In contrast, a few brands have actually increased their product sizes. These include Lindt Lindor, Green & Black’s Organic, and Kit Kat.
How much has the size of chocolate bars shrunk?
The table below shows the average decrease in product weight for a selection of brands across the board. As you can see, chocolate bars have shrunk by an average of 8% across the board:
The above figures show the average shrinkage rate of chocolate bars. In many cases, individual bars have shrunk by more than the average.
As well as shrinking their products, many chocolate brands have changed the ingredients they use in an attempt to reduce costs.
For example, many bars now contain less cocoa butter.
How can you fight back and fight for better value?
If you’re as frustrated as we are with shrinking chocolate bars, there are a few things you can do to fight back. First, you can be aware of how companies are trying to increase their profits by shrinking their products.
This will allow you to keep an eye out for shrinking chocolate bars and other products and to buy them when they’re at the cheapest price.
Secondly, you can be vocal about shrinking chocolate bars and other shrinking products. If you see a chocolate bar getting smaller, talk about it, write about it, post about it, and make your feelings heard. Thirdly, you can support chocolate brands that are resisting shrinkflation.
We’ve put together a list of the 10 best chocolates that you can buy right now.
Wrapping up
Shrinkflation is a phenomenon that has been growing in the last few years, and it’s one that we are not happy about. As we mentioned above, there are a few reasons why this is happening, but one thing remains the same — consumers are losing out.
This article has explained what shrinkflation is, how it’s happening, and how much chocolate bars have shrunk. We’ve also given you a few ways to fight back against shrinkflation, and we’ve given you a list of the 10 best chocolates that you can buy right now.
Now that you know what shrinking chocolate bars are all about, it’s up to you to make sure that you aren’t getting ripped off. Keep an eye out for shrinking chocolate bars, and make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
