shrinkflation

American

[shringk-fley-shuhn] / ˌʃrɪŋkˈfleɪ ʃən /

noun

Economics Informal.

a decrease over time in quantity or in package size compared to the quantity previously sold at the same price point, resulting in a higher cost per unit for the consumer.

The price is the same and the box looks the same, but because of shrinkflation, you’ll get ten percent less cereal when you open it up.

Etymology

Origin of shrinkflation

First recorded in 2015–20; shrink ( def. ) + (in)flation ( def. ); coinage attributed to U.S. entrepreneur and economist Philippa (“Pippa”) Malmgren (born 1962), or U.S. historian Brian Domitrovic (born 1961)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The great shrinkflation of housing in America is here.

From MarketWatch

Consumers have expressed ire at "shrinkflation", where products are made smaller but the price stays the same.

From BBC

Several PepsiCo products were hit with shrinkflation "warning" stickers in French supermarket chain Carrefour in 2023.

From BBC

The effects of "shrinkflation" are also to blame for smaller portions, as firms make smaller portions of a product but keep the price the same in order to fit squeezed customer budgets.

From BBC

Carmakers have opted to charge more for delivery costs, reduce incentives or strip away features that might once have been included, a step Chesbrough likens to "shrinkflation."

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023