Have you ever had the impression that your favorite snacks have become smaller, for the same price? You are not alone. It is the phenomenon of shrinkflation, an increasingly widespread strategy among companies to increase margins without affecting final prices. A wizard. Sometimes, let's face it, a half-scam. Bien, France has decided to counter this opaque practice by introducing a labeling obligation for products subject to quantity reduction.
An example of consumer protection that could become a lesson after the "storming of the Bastille" of SUVs e influencers.
A growing phenomenon
Shrinkflation, this scientific practice of "shrinking", I would dare say, consists in reducing the size or weight of a product, keeping the selling price unchanged. In this way, companies are able to increase their profits without having to resort to explicit price increases that could drive customers away. This is an increasingly common practice, especially in periods of inflation or increased raw material costs.
The problem is that most consumers tend to notice a change in price much more easily than a change in quantity, especially when the latter is cleverly masked by external packaging. Thus, almost without realizing it, we find ourselves paying more to have less.
Parbleu, darling, my food is restricted
No sector seems immune from Shrinkflation in France. Even “matzo”, the traditional unleavened biscuits eaten during Passover, have been shrunk this year.
Examples abound: from soda bottles to packets of rice, from laundry detergent to cans of tuna. Whenever a product undergoes a reduction in weight or volume without a corresponding drop in price, we are faced with a case of Shrinkflation.
Faced with the tsunami of Shrinkflation, France has decided to take action.
Already last year, the supermarket chain Carrefour had caused a sensation by starting to label products affected by Shrinkflation, indicating the actual price increase per unit of measurement. Now, this practice will become mandatory by law.
Starting from the 1 July 2024 all consumer products that have undergone a reduction in weight or volume such as to result in an increase in the unit price must include specific information for consumers. This must be displayed by distributors of large and medium-sized sales outlets in the immediate vicinity of the products concerned, for a period of two months from the date of placing on the market.
A good step forward in the protection of consumer rights, don't you think? Shoppers will finally be able to be aware of "hidden" price increases and make more informed purchasing choices. Not only that: the obligation to "reveal" the reduction in quantity could push companies to reconsider the use of Shrinkflation, opting for more transparent strategies.
Anti-shrinkflation rules, when in Italy too?
In an era in which consumers' purchasing power is increasingly eroded by inflation and price increases, initiatives such as the French one represent an important bulwark for the defense of buyers' rights. It is true, companies have the legitimate objective of generating profits: but it is equally true that consumers have the right to know exactly what they are buying and at what price.
The hope is that the French example can set a precedent, pushing more and more countries to adopt similar measures. Because transparency should not be an optional, but a fundamental prerequisite for a fair market that respects everyone's rights. Maybe even Italian snacks will return to the size they once were, at no additional cost. A magic. Are we or are we not Wonderland?
