I was born in 1975 and I lived my childhood between the 70s and 80s, an era full of colorful and irresistible snacks, symbols of an ephemeral but unforgettable era. I stopped drinking carbonated drinks for some time, but recently I decided to give myself a nostalgic break with a Coca-Cola (in glass). The memory of when, after a long game of football in the sun, I refreshed myself like this. Water is better, I know, don't be moralistic. It was a ritual, and I wanted to regain my memory.
First sip and end of the spell. The drink that was once the symbol of my moments of joy now has a strange, almost artificial aftertaste. Is it me or what?
An imperceptible but radical change
That different, almost unpleasant flavour, which left me with an artificial aftertaste, gave rise to a small "investigation" within my circle of acquaintances and outside. Which in turn led me to a bitter realization: It's not just Coca-Cola that has lost its original flavor.
Other snacks from my childhood seem to have undergone a similar transformation. Once again: is it me or what?
The (semi)hidden truth
My unusual conspiracy instinct got justice when, delving into the "investigations" also thanks to my work as an advertiser, I came across a phenomenon that I had not explored sufficiently. A phenomenon known as “skimpflation”.
Things? The term describes the practice adopted by many food companies of quietly changing the recipes of their products to cut costs. This often imperceptible change involves replacing quality ingredients with cheaper alternatives. As a result, products not only lose their original taste but also become less healthy. Something perhaps even more subtle than "shrinkflation" which reduces the size of the packages at the same price, and certainly a wrong answer to the "greedflation” which characterizes the last phase of capitalism.
Some “transfigured” snacks
Coca-Cola: Consumers have noticed a change in flavor, attributing it to the replacement of sugar with high fructose corn syrup.
crackers Ritz: Once resistant and ideal for immersion, now they crumble easily.
Twix: The texture and flavor have changed, with complaints of a taste similar to a chocolate-covered sugar cookie.
Fanta: recipe it changed last March, people complain about the abandonment of orange concentrate.
Other popular products, such as chocolate and crisps, have also undergone similar changes, reducing the quality and altering the taste that once made them special.
A non-negligible impact on health
In addition to flavor degradation, these changes could even have a negative impact on consumers' health. Ingredients like artificial sugars, high fructose corn syrup and less expensive oils are sometimes introduced to replace more natural and healthy ones.
Ultimately, this “hidden inflation” presents consumers with a dilemma: accept lower quality products or face higher prices. This is why it is essential to read labels carefully, find out about changes made to products and, where possible, opt for healthier alternatives.
