Customers don’t like price increases, so many manufacturers prefer to save on content. It’s the same thing, but it’s not as noticeable in the supermarket. The Hamburg consumer advice center takes a close look and regularly selects the “deceptive package of the month”. She selects the most brazen ones from consumers’ complaints about hidden price increases.
The criticism from consumer advocates is usually not that something is becoming more expensive. Finally, there is inflation. The point is that manufacturers don’t communicate this honestly, but instead disguise it through clever packaging and pricing. In the end, the customer pays more.
In the wake of rising inflation since 2022, the term “shrinkflation” has been established for the phenomenon – a neologism from the English word “shrink” and “inflation”.
Illustrious series of deceptive packages
The Hamburg consumer advice center has already denounced many well-known manufacturers as deceptive packaging of the month: The “Peanut Curls” from Lorenz and the “Smiling Bunny” from Milka were among them, as were Magerine from Rama, water softener from Calgon and hand cream from Nivea.
Once a year, the consumer advice center lets five candidates vote on the deceptive package of the year. For 2023, Tuc Bake Rolls was named the most brazen product by Mondelez. Our photo series shows more deceptive packages from the past few years.
Source: Stern
