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President Biden Is Calling Out Snack Companies for 'Shrinkflation'
Food & Wne ^ | February 12, 2024 | Stacey Leasca

Posted on 02/12/2024 6:09:18 PM PST by nickcarraway

“I’ve had enough of what they call shrinkflation," Biden said. "It's a rip-off.”

President Joe Biden has a message for snack companies: Knock it off with shrinkflation.

On Sunday, just ahead of the Super Bowl, Biden posted on X (formally known as Twitter), sharing a video aimed at snack companies, saying that they are shrinking the size of their products without also reducing costs to consumers. It’s a practice the president bluntly called a “rip-off.”

“When buying snacks for the big game, you might have noticed one thing,” Biden said. “Sports drink bottles are smaller, a bag of chips has fewer chips, but they’re still charging just as much. And as an ice cream lover, what makes me the most angry is that ice cream cartons have actually shrunk in size but not in price.” He succinctly added, “I’ve had enough of what they call shrinkflation. It's a rip-off.”

The Gas Stove Debacle Is Finally Over While Biden didn’t specifically call out any companies by name, brands that were shown on the snack table beside him took note.

"We appreciate that the President has to deflect attention away from inflation that has lingered during his administration," David Chavern, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, shared in a statement with Reuters. According to Chavern, his organization is eager to work with the president and his administration on "real solutions that benefit consumers."

However, a December 2023 report published by Pennsylvania’s Sen. Bob Casey, shows the issue to be much deeper than mere deflection. According to the report, General Mills decreased the size of its “Family Size” offering across multiple products without reducing cost, including reducing the size of its Family Size Cocoa Puffs from 19.3 ounces to 18.1 ounces. It then doubled down by increasing the cost for the lighter product in 2023. The report also called out Frito-Lay, which reduced the size of a bag of Doritos from 9.75 ounces to 9.25 ounces. Though the company noted the change was due to the pandemic, it still posted a 9% increased operating profit between 2021 and 2022.

Other household goods appear to be suffering through shrinkflation, including Charmin Ultra Soft Mega rolls of toilet paper, which decreased from 264 double-ply sheets a roll to 244 sheets, while the company’s other offering, Ultra Soft Super Mega rolls, has decreased from 396 sheets to 366. It’s not alone in the toilet paper shrinkage either, with the report noting Cottonelle’s one-ply mega rolls went from 340 to 312 sheets while its two-ply sheets went from 284 to 268.

“There is no denying that shrinkflation is real and that it is having a measurable impact on family budgets,” the report noted, adding, “but there is still much to learn about the tactic and its full effect on American consumers.”

This may not be the last time the President makes an effort to call out brands for practices like this. In early February, Jared Bernstein, the chair of President Biden's Council of Economic Advisers, shared with Reuters, "Our message is a very clear one that the president has and will continue to lean into, which is, if you're a company whose input prices have come down and you're not passing those savings along to the consumer, he will call you out.”


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: donatefreerepublic; economics101; fjb; food; inflation; noticeme; notthebee; shrinkflation; shrunkenbrain; snacks; wne
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To: nickcarraway

Biden gaslighting his zombie voters.

Cloward-Piven marches on Unabated.


61 posted on 02/12/2024 8:37:41 PM PST by Big Red Badger (The Truman Show)
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To: midwest_hiker

“Price per ounce or pound or unit is on about every price label in grocery stores.”

I was in Costco the other day and they had three brands of something. I was checking to see which was cheapest - and it was similar - one was price per ounce, one in grams, and one in per unit. Ain’t nobody got time for that! I bought the same stuff that I’ve purchased before.


62 posted on 02/12/2024 8:39:29 PM PST by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant. Never Fearful.)
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To: BipolarBob

“I Was In The POOL!”
.
That’s a shame.


63 posted on 02/12/2024 8:46:15 PM PST by Big Red Badger (The Truman Show)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Have you no sense of irony. Of course I know that why I wrote is twaddle. I must know something about economic fundamentals to get something so utterly and completely wrong. Every single word of it.


64 posted on 02/12/2024 8:48:18 PM PST by AndyJackson
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To: nickcarraway

Man Who Poops Pants signed off on all the policies that has caused the costs of raw materials to skyrocket.

As a result, companies have had to reduce the portions to try and keep prices within reason. Yet somehow in Man Who Poops Pants’ feeble mind it’s the companies fault?


65 posted on 02/12/2024 8:49:29 PM PST by 2CAVTrooper (Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.)
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To: nickcarraway

what a leader.


66 posted on 02/12/2024 8:51:29 PM PST by DouglasKC
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To: TexasFreeper2009
His policies drove up the prices of everything, the corporations are simply trying to keep things affordable by making them smaller.

They're making products smaller and lesser to keep them affordable? Hogwash!

They're doing it maintain their bloated profits. The customer gets less for the same price!

67 posted on 02/12/2024 8:52:42 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: dfwgator

Increase the regulatory burden. That will drive prices down for sure. Oh and abuse the greedy shareholders. That usually works too.


68 posted on 02/12/2024 8:52:55 PM PST by AndyJackson
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To: 2CAVTrooper

On the “Nextdoor” app people were complaining about the huge increases in apartment rents. Lots of factors go into it of course (supply and demand mostly), but somebody brought up the increasing property tax rates that are passed off on to the renters.

I’m in a liberal area, so I was surprised that the comments went both ways. Most saying that it was a rip-off by the landlords to pass on that property tax, but perhaps 30 to 40 percent understanding that it is a cost to the landlord, and will be passed down to the tenant. I was surprised nobody posted “Well, if I had known I would have had to pay for the increase even if I’m just a renter, I wouldn’t have voted for it!”

Oh - same goes for the increase in gasoline here (Washington State). The energy companies are getting taxed out the wazzo with the new carbon taxes, and pass them along to the customer at the pump. “Hey - that’s no fair!!!” Idiot voters.


69 posted on 02/12/2024 8:57:45 PM PST by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant. Never Fearful.)
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To: nickcarraway

I think shrinkflation is a problem of Brandon’s that he should keep between himself and his wife.


70 posted on 02/12/2024 9:21:34 PM PST by inchworm (al )
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To: nickcarraway

Someone told me once to monitor inflation by the price of Fritos.

It’s the first thing indicator of inflation. So true.


71 posted on 02/12/2024 10:11:01 PM PST by DeathBeforeDishonor1 ( )
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To: dragnet2

exactly, they are getting less for the SAME price, instead of having to RAISE the price because of what Biden and the Democrats did to the economy.


72 posted on 02/12/2024 10:21:33 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: AndyJackson
Have you no sense of irony

Everybody on this forum can attest to the fact that I have none.

73 posted on 02/12/2024 10:30:38 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: dragnet2
They're making products smaller and lesser to keep them affordable?
.
They're doing it maintain their bloated profits

Who's to say they can't do both at the same time?

74 posted on 02/12/2024 10:31:48 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: TexasFreeper2009

Get less for the same price? Instead of getting more for a higher price?

What is the difference?


75 posted on 02/12/2024 10:32:26 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: nickcarraway

“”Shrinkflation?” Isn’t that how Biden’s neurologist described what is happening to his brain?”

Lol... except that.... you can’t shrink what ain’t there.


76 posted on 02/12/2024 10:35:33 PM PST by Danie_2023
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To: nickcarraway
Our GREAT President is totally focused on AMERICA'S most IMPORTANT PROBLEMS. What a FREAKIN' DWEEB!


77 posted on 02/12/2024 10:40:10 PM PST by VideoDoctor
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To: dragnet2

The difference is you have limited funds you can buy the smaller amount when you wouldn’t be able to afford the larger.

For those with more money obviously it is just an annoyance.


78 posted on 02/13/2024 5:05:52 AM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: BitWielder1

Joe Biden keeps hoping his lies will work.

Because he knows how stupid his die-hard supporters truly are.


79 posted on 02/13/2024 5:37:49 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: nickcarraway

Is one of those companies in charge of biden’s brain cavity?


80 posted on 02/13/2024 5:42:28 AM PST by Mlheureux
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