@@mentalphilanthropist35 I mean this is kinda political in its own way. It's just that the problem is more clear cut compared to whether you want this or that president.
No. He does that chill, chatty, attempt at normal person thing almost all CBC personalities have. I guarantee you this guy can't go in the weeds on controversial subjects, he's not programmed for that behavior.
I work in administration for a large Canadian grocer. Every time manufacturers change the weight of a product, they have to let us know so we can change the weight in the system that generates labels, and then print new labels for the products, so I see pretty much every time a product is shrunk. These aren't small companies struggling to survive with higher operating costs, they're huge conglomerates that don't want to budge on their bottom line. My advice to consumers would be to buy from smaller, local brands or the store brands. Consider it an investment in the future quality of your food.
@@ScooterinAB Yes, the store brand is made by big companies, but they have contracts with the stores that prevent shrinkflation, and if store brand sales beat name brand the companies tend to lower or maintain their prices.
I've been putting in tons of work building gardens. I'm just starting to think I might have a better life in a developing country than a "developed" country.
I would love to see Canada have ingredient labeling like in Europe, where the ingredient list has to indicate the percentage of each ingredient in the product. It should also be required for any product--food or personal care items--to state on the packaging if they've recently made a change to the ingredients. There's nothing quite so annoying as buying something you've grown accustomed to only to find that it doesn't taste or smell the same, or that it now contains an ingredient you can't tolerate.
we dont have that, we have a list of ingredients sorted by how much is in the product, but no percentage. We also dont have warning for product changes, Hungary is the only one who's started putting a law in place but it has not been yet actually voted. And there is nothing at the EU level yet to do this
There would be a backlash with some people complaining about government overreach and then the Conservative Party will jump on the bandwagon and campaign against it too like they do with everything else.
I have a friend with a corn intolerance. She's been hit a few times by "trusted" corn free brands suddenly swapping out sugar for corn syrup or whatever oil for corn oil, and not giving any indication they've done this, so she has to read the ingredients list every time she buys something no matter how many times she's bought it before. It's ridiculous.
@@yyunko7764 I had assumed otherwise, as nearly all the European, multi-lingual packaging I've seen (granted, mostly sweets) list ingredients with percentages.
I live in USA. Here, they don't even have to list all of the ingredients in our food! It's also legal for them to mislead us about what is in it. Some of the most famous examples are grape-nut cereal, which contains no grapes or nuts, and our glued meats, which are an actual health and safety concern, since meat that has been glued together has to be cooked more thoroughly than meat that has not been glued together, but consumers are not told when we're buying glued meat. Oh and we're straight up lied to about what kind of fish we're buying, and about food and drink expiration dates, and often about when our food was harvested, and where it came from as well. I'd love to see a reasonable standard brought to the US. Really any reasonable standard at all would be a step up for us.
I know for a FACT that Loblaws increased the price of one of the products I buy when the manufacturer did not increase their price. And they did it TWICE during the pandemic.
Shrinkflation is not new. It goes back to the high inflation of the 1970's. It was less so prior to the 70's. Prices naturally increase over time. Usually based on economic growth. But mostly beginning in the 70's due to massive government spending and more so borrowing caused massive influx of money into the system. It's that which created high inflation. The corporations are at the behest of our governments and central banks policy to influx more Money into the system too, just like us citizens. Grocery businesses are not profiteering, but or course their physical profits measured in dollars will go up because the value of each dollar shrinks due to inflation. I'm not saying corporations can't be unethical, but the governments want you distracted from the fact they in bed with central banks are the main culprit of inflation and ultimately things like product shrinkflation. But ultimately it's our fault because we, well too many of us vote for big government spending. We chastise politicians who advocate less government spending and more efficiency.
I do the grocery shopping in my house and shrink and skimpflation is an absolute epidemic. Not only that but they’ve raised the prices. I know of countless items that have reduced quality and raised prices. This needs to be spotlighted endlessly until these greedy companies reverse course. They’ve realized they can get away with it and we’ll still buy it.
Want to know the nefarious next step? After shrinking it (while keeping the price the same/slightly increasing it) they will bring it back to the original size and say, "Bigger size!" and charge you even more....then rinse and repeat....over and over and over. This needs to be curbed/regulated...its outright fraud.
And then to top it all off , they expect you to do a cashiers job for free (nope not me, I refuse to use self-checkout). I refuse to pay more than a certain amount a least. If everyone did this it would wake the corporations up to stop.
You buy a bag of chips 60% of the bag is air. But the price increases all the same. We are paying more, getting less, and these companies take in record profits while using the word “inflation” to cover what they’re doing. Inflation is not the issue, corporate control and concentration is the issue.
"Inflation is not the issue, corporate control and concentration is the issue." So true but that air in the bag keeps you from buying a bag of crumbs/crushed chips
@@robertlawson7329 Fair enough. Although you can't deny the bags themselves are getting bigger while quantity of chips within remains the same, if not slightly less.
It's normal for chips to have air for cushioning so your chips don't crush in transport, about 25% But lately, I've seen chip bags with about 70% air content, it's basically empty.
The quality is going down. I bought a watermelon. I cut it in half the next day and had to throw it out the center was rotten. I made the mistake a week later and bought a cantaloupe, the next when I cut it in half I had to throw it away. It was rotten.
Häagen-Dazs used to be 500 ml, I'm not sure when it change to 450. I've noticed an increase in layers and extras type flavours, which allows them to fill the tub with cheap mix-ins and less of the expensive cream.
@@Richard-or2km Yup! Now it's just full of politicians looking to live the good life at our expense and they make a sport of wasting as much money as possible in the process and using their positions to setup cushy gigs for when they get kicked to the curb from the Government! It's so corrupt it's not funny!
@@thyagofurtado Yes for sure, although with Cell phone I get 50gb/month and unlimited thereafter throttled data and unlimited Canada wide talk/text with Public Mobile (Telus) and have Canada wide coverage for travelling for $34/month
@@chesterfieldjones1055I've watched that, and honestly, I have no idea about the food culture there. I know in some parts of China they do eat dog meat, but I was surprised about South Korea. Can you please tell me how did that change your mind?
@@hbahoo This wasn't about the food culture in South Korea. I was already aware of the dog meat culture there. I wanted to know about the ban. I found it interesting (and supported) the ban. That's why I started watching it. The issue I had was that they showed the dog meat. They didn't have to do that. They could have told the story without showing the meat. Seeing the meat was very, very disturbing to me. I had to stop watching as I was very nauseous. The story itself would have been fine without the graphic display of meat. Why did they have to show it? Would people have been confused about what they were talking about without actually seeing the meat. They show news stories about bombings and killings without showing corpses and bodyparts. Why not use the same discretion here?
I remember MANY years ago there was a TV commercial in which the character is musing that if his company that sold jars of olives removed just one olive from each jar, it would save the company a significant amount of money. And all I thought was, "Great, so the goal is to rake in the same revenue by cheating every customer just a tiny bit? This is why we can't trust industries to legislate their own practices."
Yes, this was one of the first recognized examples. Another was the enlarging of the hole on a tube of toothpaste so more product was used. And of course, the "Wagon Wheel" shrinkage scandal was from the same time period. Conclusion, this has been going on for a long time.
@@widfara1 I remember the Wagon Wheel shrinkage controversy. I also remember, about thirty years ago, noticing that the solid antiperspirants sold in the U.S. stated on their packaging that they contained the amount of product listed on the label PLUS 'sufficient product to secure it' in the twist-up base, which made me wonder if Canadian solid antiperspirants were allowed to state the total amount as the weight on the label, and that is was possible that we were getting less usable product than we thought we were paying for.
I now eat a lot less processed food - where it seems the shrinkflation and skimpflation are the worst. I think it gives me more control over how I spend my grocery dollars. Also, when I've found fresh produce that, on opening, is not very fresh, I return it. It's a pain, but I want my voice heard. I live alone and I certainly can't afford to be throwing out food!
This right here. Grocery store wants me to pay $5-6 for a pound of strawberries, but I’ve told them three times the cooler they keep the berries in is broken and warm to the touch. So if you don’t get the berries the day they stock, you’re more often than not buying already moldy berries. I’ll pay for them when you start storing them properly.
@@hayleyhellbound9513 You're better off buying frozen berries and then just defrosting them as needed. The prices have skyrocketed, but at least you don't need to worry so much about the ones on the bottom of the punnet being moldy.
I agree. Processed food is the worst financially and also health wise and it is definitely a lot more expensive not being able to share food. For me, I never buy things like crackers, biscuits, ice cream, or even chips. And definitely no pop. I eat way more fresh vegetables and I cook more now using simple but high-quality, tasty ingredients. I enjoy eating more and feel healthier. Not an option for everyone, obviously, since it can be expensive to buy a wide variety of things you might want, but really when you look at the price of some of the processed stuff many people eat, you can often create a healthier, more-balanced diet from just a few unprocessed ingredients. Things like eggs, butter, milk Greek yoghurt, mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and/or kale, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, good-quality cheeses, whole-wheat bread and olive oil and a few other things like plain oats for breakfast instead of cereal or muesli and frozen berries instead of fresh, for example, can go a long way as a base for creating tasty meals. Nuts like walnuts and almonds, and also pumpkin seeds are extremely healthy and can be added to salads, deserts or eaten as a snack. They're not cheap, but they are healthy and last without going bad, a small handful fills you up a lot better than cookies or chips. Also, even if you like meat you don't necessarily need to eat it for both lunch and dinner. You might not get the same amount of variety of meals you're used to if you try to eat unprocessed food as you need to try to use everything up before it spoils. That's the main downside. But you'll still be ahead of the game by eating healthier.
We're getting screwed due to the price increases but also the decrease in ml or grams we're getting. When food inflation states 5-8%, it's more like 30-45%. My kraft peanut butter was 3.89 in 2022, now it's 5.29 at superstore. That's a 30-40% increase in just over a year. I have yet to check the ml I'm getting
Im with you on this. You use to be able to get Kraft PB on sale for $3 only a couple years ago, now $5 is a typical sale price. Luckily they are still at the 1KG size for their standard jars, its just the price that has shot up.
Where I'm from they changed a few things that helped. 1. Change of amount must be clearly displayed by law at the front corner of the pack, in large bold letters stating the change in either "contains X percent/liters less" or "X units/grams vs Y units/grams previously." This must be displayed at least 6 months from the change. 2. They reinstated the obligation of price tags on every package, a price tag on the shelf is not enoogh. This is very important as you don't have to count on codes or confusing names to match a product to the tag, atvthe cash the price on themproduct isnthe one they must charge, even if there is a different price "in the system" and you see the price at home on the package so you're more likely to notice a price change. 3. He "Vector" thing is illegal (the factbthat it's legal in Canada doesn't make it right). Unfortunately greedflasion is as worst as in Canada.
You think your food is expensive now? Just wait until they implement #2. The logistics involved, especially when items come on sale, would be astounding.
The worst ones ive found for this are the frozen chicken products, wings, nuggets, strips etc. The box is generally labeled at 908g but half that weight is from included sauce packets.
@TheScrubmuffin69 alot of the bigger boxes do this plum sauce with chicken strips or hot sauce with wings. Especially ones that say pub style and stuff like that. they will have a big bag of slushy sauce that your suppose to warm seperately
I bought what I thought was Breyers Cookies and Cream ice cream but it tasted awful. Then I looked at the label closely and it said "frozen dairy dessert." Turns out they changed the recipe to cut costs and could no longer legally call it "ice cream."
Like the Martin Mull add. Sugar coated, sugar fortified little bits of sugar. 10 grams of Frosted Flakes with 100 ml of milk provides all the dietary goodness of 100 ml of milk. More nutrients in the box.
Yup... All these companies, from the grocers, to the wholesalers, to the producers, etc all claim that THEY are not the reason for the price increases. So who IS making all this money?
I saw some comments here pointing the finger at the federal government (Trudeau, of course) for not doing enough to curb corporate greed, and I totally get it and would support it. But what I want to know is, are they also the same people who want less government regulations and "more freedom"?
Of course it's not the same people. People who want less government regulation also want less restriction on what can be put in food, and don't want any laws prohibiting skimpflation or shrinkflation.
I feel like its not fair to mention carbon tax contributing to the grocery store inflation, because it creates obvious supply chain price increases. While instead blaming things like “the war in Ukraine.” Right wing people get upset at this because that and the clips that make singh look like a hero, are obviously pandering to the left wing audience. I thought this was very well done otherwise
It's also completely ignoring the fact that this has been going on for hundreds of years. Look up sawdust bread. This isn't a Trudeau problem. It's a greed problem.
I noticed shrinkflation going back years but felt crazy saying so since it wasn't common knowledge but now that it is ill add I'm pretty sure they add rotten fruit into packaging to make the fresh fruit go bad earlier. It sounds silly even suggesting it but after seeing it so many times over the years where a whole pack of something is 99% fresh but with one rotten item. I'm convinced it's not just by chance. I've never seen two or three rotten items, always just the one buried inside the rest.
It has been happening for a long, long time. We notice it more now because everything is so much more expensive. If a box of those Chewy granola bars was $2 and you looked at it and thought it was a little on the tiny side, you might just shrug and say 'oh well, it was just $2.' But now that it's more than $2, it's a little harder to justify.
Not long ago the Wawa convenience stores had a strawberry parfait that I liked but then the size was almost cut in half and it no longer had strawberry chunks in it, just like a jam. Yet the price stayed the same. Very disappointing.
The 'per 100g' price is the most important. The text for these values needs to be increased on the price; perhaps even the same font size as the unit price.
While I'm all for this, it's pretty clear that even if this was implemented, they'd still screw us over. We also need solid caps on how many billions of our dollars food companies are allowed to take every year.
Yes! I agree. I literally go shopping without my kids so that I can stop and read those tiny fonts and compare. It’s. So. Time. Consuming. But shocking how much you can save sometimes. The packaging can be very misleading. Also, so often the “sale” price is more than the non sale price of a comparable product!
@@Sam-qt5ff Not to mention the other practice of having the largest price with smaller text stating something like: Largest text: $3.00 smaller text: when you buy 3 or more Even smaller text: $3.25 when you buy less than 3 Smallest text: $X.XX per 100g They are actively trying to obfuscate true value.
@@yaughl absolutely. I find it sickening that our government, who is supposed to protect us and to advocate for us with all those tax dollars they take from us, has done absolutely nothing about this. I don’t care that there’s no laws in place. Then make some! Have a back bone for goodness sakes.
This is a recession. Our government has found a way to keep it technically "not in recession" by printing more money and passing it back and forth with their buddies. If they admitted we're in a recession, they'd be forced to help Canadians instead of hurt Canadians. That's not in the Liberal playbook.
I LITERALLY was just at Walmart the other day and was going to buy their chocolate chip cookies, until I saw the label that said "Chocolate-FLAVORED Chip Cookies". I asked a nearby associate if they knew what the difference was. They weren't sure either, and were definitely shocked when I pointed out the label change. Now I know with this video that they've swapped out the ingredients.
The problem is that this isn't knew. This has been happening for decades. Hell, it's been happening for about half a millennium. Look up sawdust bread, chalk break, or any of the other horrible alternatives that were a thing ages ago. @hunterericson So don't buy anything? We don't exactly have options here.
Our cat food was part of shrinkflation definitely during the pandemic. It was very frustrating. Probably still is, I just haven’t paid as close attention recently. Thank you for doing this segment!
For decades north american grocery stores have used "loss leaders" , store staples that they sell at cost or even less to draw customers in to buy all of their groceries. Now Galen Weston is complaining that Loblaws doesn't make enough money on these items.
Was really disappointed in Costco the other day, when I noticed that their pack of Kirkland toilet paper now shows rolls of 380 sheets, compare to the 425 before. And that is after pushing the price from 15,99$ back in 2019 to 18,99$, to 21,99$.... so 6$ more for almost 15% less product....
Be happy this is all they did. Wood prices have soared in the last couple years and have now thankfully dropped (still nowhere near pre-pandemic prices). And as wood is the main ingredient in toilet paper I would expect it to get more expensive as well. Remember the toilet paper shortages a few years ago? Thankfully that's not an issue anymore.
I had a favourite beer battered fish 🐠 and chip meal at a popular city restaurant. The last occasion that I ate there, I was met with my usual large two pieces of fish being less then half their usual size 😮 When I brought it up with the server, her reply was that the manager had told them to tell customers that asked “We have switched to healthy portion meals” 😂
Greedflation does not just happen at the grocery stores. I have seen the same thing in housing. The price of a half duplex has gone up 200,000 in just a few years in Calgary. So much for affordable housing.
greed is a part of it, another part is availability in terms of the housing market as a whole as well as rising interest rates for mortgages etc. the whole system is a disaster.
I’m a Diamond Cart, 4.9 rated Instacart personal shopper here in Victoria, and I can vouch for all of the points listed here. I can’t tell you how many times I have to message a customer and tell them the produce doesn’t look that great, or I don’t feel comfortable picking certain things. Plus, I definitely see the skimming and such. I’m also a health coach and mom of a kindergartener, so I’m label-aware and do notice things… though, I try to stick to 5 ingredients or less in whatever I buy or make to eat. I don’t like wasting food, so I have a lot of things we do, like I will chop up my green onions and then freeze them to last longer… or if my son doesn’t finish a smoothie, we turn them into smoothie pops. I’m also meticulous about checking for mold and juiced fruit when buying for myself and my customers, so at least we have a somewhat good foundation when it comes to spoilage. The one thing I haven’t figured out how to win is the greedflation part. Who do I need to talk to and tell them to stop lining their pockets for no reason other than greed? Lol I’m great with using the Flipp app to price check before going to stores , but still …😊
Imagine buying a envelope with a picture of a Walmart gift card and a text above that says $100. After you've paid $100 and went home you realize it's only a cardboard cutout, and when you read the fine print it explains that in order for it to be worth $100, you need to buy the actual gift card separately, and place it inside. That's what the first story with the cereal sounds like
If you shop at superstore or no frills, they have price per 100 grams or ml comparisons. You have to look closely on the price tag on the shelf. I’m not sure about other chain stores but I know they are good for that. Also, usually Costco I think too
Exactly, it's why a prefer those stores too, I think if this was made law, and required a legible font size then shrinkflation tricks would be easier to spot.@@Sam-qt5ff
@@RCLapCar oh man yeah they do! We just went this evening to do our Sunday stock up and so often the brand name is cheaper than kirkland! Really gotta look out. For them to produce their own product they’re already reducing soooo much of the cost. So tag a few dollars onto the selling price and they’re making bank! One of the worst ones is their pre packaged cookies vs famous Amos cookies. The kirkland is almost always more for less cookies.
What needs to happen is a regulation to require reusable, standard sized packaging. That would solve both the packaging waste problem AND the shrinkflation problem at the same time by prohibiting the manufacturers from changing the packaging sizes.
This point is where I don’t understand why all the environmental groups begin to scream as packaging and plastic waste are a huge problem. Of course this is only one part of this issue but an easy fix imo.
We had noticed that fruits and vegetables have been going bad so much quicker, and we were wondering what was going on. It's ridiculous that the Canadian government continues to allow corporate monopolies in grocery, telecom, and oil when there should be competition. This is on the Canadian government and decades of catering to the wealthy and corporations.
@Tomyum19 Just based on what you said, yes, the government already regulated what can and cannot go into companies products, so why shouldn't the government be able to require companies to put very obvious labels on their products that inform customers that there have been changes to the product (including size). Other governments have done so. Canada can as well, Tommy.
@Tomyum19 Dude, only certain ingredients are allowed (what you can put in) and others are not (what you can't put in, things like large amounts of glass and arsenic). So yes, the government regulates what companies can and cannot put in food. You know this.
@Tomyum19 You're the one doing what you're telling me not to, is the problem: You know full well that the government already places some regulations of on food products. You've admitted this. And you're aware that other government's have required companies to very clearly label changes in formula and size, so you know it's possible. So what are you even upset about and trying to argue? You're not even saying anything at all, Tom.
@Tomyum19 My gosh, learn to read. I said: "the government already regulated what can and cannot go into companies products, so why shouldn't the government be able to require companies to put very obvious labels on their products that inform customers that there have been changes to the product (including size). Other governments have done so. Canada can as well, Tommy." And you said "wrong". None of that is wrong. You've agreed that the government regulates what companies can or cannot put in products. You know that the government can require clearer labelling when changes are made. You're telling me I'm wrong with one breath, and then agreeing right after. Give it a rest.
I find stuff like peanut butter and Gatorade have the bottom of the bottles hollowed out more every year but still claimed same weight, which I find odd.
5:32 I saw this one at the Dollar Tree, both were the same price. They stocked the larger tube out of sight at the very bottom rear of the shelf. Also noticed some products that used to be labeled "Ice Cream" are now "Frozen Dairy Desert".
There's actually a great reason for this, and I would intentionally pay for the smaller one instead. Airports limit liquids to 3.4oz (100g). These small toothpastes are mostly for travel, so it makes sense to be below the airport limit.
Isn't it all just 'Greed'? All these silly terms making something simple seem complicated. Sad really. Also the onus should never be on the consumer to 'know better' - what then is the need for regulators / governments?
I think people notice when your products get smaller, there’s just nothing you can do about it. I’ve been buying the same pasta for years and when they switched to plastic-free boxes, they came with about half the weight. I noticed right away that I could only get about 2 meals from what used to give me 3 or 4 for the same price. This video talks about detecting shrinkflation and about avoiding it, but what am I gonna do, not buy food? It’s not just that some products are inelastic, but that at big grocery stores like walmart, there’s often just one brand or one cheap brand and a bunch of expensive alternatives.
Another example of shrinkflation are hot dogs and bacon, they used to be 1 lb 454 g they are both now 375 grams. We used to get 12 wieners now you get 10.
Chips always go in a cycle. They decrease the package size over time for the same price, then a few years later they release a new pack that is called party size (or similar) which is the original but for a higher price.
Great reporting, why'd it take so long? Also, why are we at their mercy, instead of implementing a windfall tax? Disaster profiteering is also illegal, where's enforcement? And we don't need to "know better" we need to close loopholes.
Not even past the Vector part and had to chime in. I used to buy Vector cereal about 19 years ago until I realized this exact same thing. At that time I changed to "Tony's turbos" a childrens "sports" cerceal that had far far more nutrition.
Try switching to overnight oats with chia seeds and some protein powder. Add fruit and honey in the morning and it will be the best breakfast 'cereal'!
There is a mostly simple way to avoid shrinkflation: Avoid products that come in packages, as most other items are sold either by the pound, or in another clearly countable way. In my neighborhood, that means mostly shopping around the perimeter of the store (fruit/veggie section, some of the seafood section, nearly all of the meat section, eggs which nearly always come by the dozen, and block cheeses which are priced by the ounce or pound, and some butters (most butter here comes in 4 bars, each bar consisting of 8 tablespoons. If that amount shrinks, it will be relatively easy to notice). I only really need to be on full alert for things like most liquids (where I live, water and gasoline can be purchased by volume, with our own container, and most dairy drinks come in standard sizes, like gallons and quarts, but other liquids, from oils to juices, come in varying sizes that can easily be changed without us noticing), any grains, seeds, or legumes that can't be purchased by the pound in my own container, pre shredded or sliced cheeses, any dairy that comes in a tub, anything in a can, dried veggies and spices, anything in the freezer isle, and of course, all breads, alcohols, and other junkfoods. Mostly, the shrinkflation happens on items in the center of the store, and in the freezer section.
I don't know if that would help. The companies would just increase the price of the product to cover the loss from the taxation. Companies could pay fines, and taxes, but the money to pay those would probably be included in the increased cost of product...and of course sales tax on top of that. I get the impression that the government doesn't want to solve the problem. The higher the price of the product, the more tax revenue it generates for the government.
Sounds good on the surface but the taxes would be passed to the consumer. Instead, a way to tax shareholder value increases - instead of only taxing the profits when shares are sold. Which they never are, because the shares (and increase in value) is used as collateral for loans and credit for expenses.
Love these types of videos! Andrew is very entertaining and knowledgeable...keep up the good work. Noticed shrinkflation in candy bars...Mars for example, much thinner than they used to be. Wish I had an old package to compare the weight!
I have been buying and eating Mars for over 60 years. It is the one product which, over that time, has repeatedly and incrementally reduced the size of its product, only to occasionally bounce back to full size, starting the process again. In a way Mars was a leader in this shrinkflation process.
I have been buying and eating Mars for over 60 years. It is the one product which, over that time, has repeatedly and incrementally reduced the size of its product, only to occasionally bounce back to full size, starting the process again. In a way Mars was a leader in this shrinkflation process.
Two things I noticed in this piece. First, the reporting seemed to be indicating that the government asking questions of the supermarkets was some sort of action to help people when it was nothing more than grandstanding. There was no follow up on that to show that it did absolutely nothing to help consumers. Secondly, the cute nicknames for all the ways in which corporations are cheating consumers minimizes their corruption and the seriousness of the issue. Call it what is is, deception.
Selling smaller products isn't deception unless you lie about the size. Selling products with cheaper ingredients is not deception unless you lie about the ingredients.
It might not technically be deception but when a company maintains the look of the packaging while decreasing the quantity or quality of a product, it is deceptive and intended to be so.@@me-myself-i787
NO NAME just straight up gives you less. 180 g chips only contain about 100 g. Galen Weston is evil. The bread case - he just gave out 6 million in gift, $25 each, cards as an apology for ripping off Canadians for years.
i've started seeing ads for no name on youtube and stickers and posters for their products all over the shelves in grocery stores, I thought the whole deal was they dont pay for branding and advertising and they pass those savings on to us - but I guess not any more
Supply chain problems my a$$. Its been for 4 years since covid. THanks CBC as i've noticed this on a lot of products. I really hope these companies get fined or charged!
Canada is not unique, people get ripped off everywhere, especially in the United States. Just google food fraud and see for yourself. Canada has stronger consumer protection laws than the United States.
I remember back in the late 70's General Mills advertised a cereal than no longer exists at least under it's original name Crispy Wheat and Raisins. When it was released it was touted to have 100% RDA of 10 key nutrients. Less than a few years later, it only had 25%. Either they were stretching the truth when it came out or they quietly cut back due to ingredient costs.
Everything is getting smaller, thinner, cheaper and more expensive, even dish soap is thinner than it was and our government is allowing them all to rip us off. Even stores are sticking it to us by making us buy multiples of an item just to get something close to a normal price. The only thing we can do about it is to stop buying products and shop at different stores, sometimes that's not possible but do what you can. I use to shop at one store for 24 years now I use the flyers and go where the deals are, that store has lost 90% of my business.
He surprisingly did not mention the "thinning" of boxes of Vector and other serials. The face size of the boxes has stayed the same but depth (thickness) of the boxes has steadily reduced to the point they are unstable in the shelves. Also, reduced content amount increases the packaging ratio meaning more packaging waste is a byproduct of shrinkflation.
Loblaws makes you pay a listing fee that gets higher and higher because they have a monopaly on the market. This causes companies to shink their products to maintain/increase their profits. A simple solution is to make companies list the packaging version on their package similar to software versions. When the package changes for whatever reason their package version should change.
It's downright hilarious how they justify the less is more ideology. "You WILL pay MORE for LESS and you WILL ACCEPT IT as a GOOD THING!" Your Lizard Lord has spoken.
I knew things were get smaller but I never stopped to think they were using lower quality ingredients too. Every day its becoming more apparent that if you want to really know what your eating. You got to buy local, if possible. Though with how high the cost of living is now its not exactly easy. Thank you for this video
Years ago that same box of Dipps had 6 bars in it, now it has 5. As for the Vector issue, thank god we have laws in place for the nutritional label that they can't find a way to dodge yet.
Bought a box of Dipps a week ago. On sale for $2.22. When i opened the box, each one was barely bigger than one of those mini chocolate bars you buy bags of at Halloween. Never again; total rip off. And yes, only 5 of the tiny things per tiny box.
Next do comparison of supposedly same product but in two different form such as regular bottle and upside down squeeze bottle. Not only you get less, pay more but also different formulation
It's not just groceries, is it? Cost to cremate my cat last month and have a paw print made in ceramic had more than DOUBLED from 2020. DOUBLED! and it wasn't exactly inexpensive in 2020 ($80 for the paw print vs $175 now). Cremation now $385. Vancouver area.
I'm not in the great country of Canada. I live 20 miles from the border. However, this is an awesome report and makes me jealous that I don't live in your country! Great job!
I would like to see more government regulation regarding labeling. Corporations have no conscience when charging Canadians.
Cute, they are the ones that run the show, not governments.
I think the only way to track all of this would be with Ai. Ai would ve very capable to notice those changes with self learning.
The problem is not labeling !! The main problem is processed food !! Do not eat that !
The truthfulness of labels is at issue here, and is relevant@@Messiahwalter
The Canadian way, more rules and regulation !
I love the way Andrew tells a news story. Very factual and no hype.
To bad they don't cover politics like this, 😂.
@@mentalphilanthropist35 I mean this is kinda political in its own way. It's just that the problem is more clear cut compared to whether you want this or that president.
CBC should just give Chang whatever he wants because at this point he's one of their only reliable hosts in a company full of duds
@@LoliconSamalik Canada has a prime minister.
No. He does that chill, chatty, attempt at normal person thing almost all CBC personalities have. I guarantee you this guy can't go in the weeds on controversial subjects, he's not programmed for that behavior.
I work in administration for a large Canadian grocer. Every time manufacturers change the weight of a product, they have to let us know so we can change the weight in the system that generates labels, and then print new labels for the products, so I see pretty much every time a product is shrunk. These aren't small companies struggling to survive with higher operating costs, they're huge conglomerates that don't want to budge on their bottom line. My advice to consumers would be to buy from smaller, local brands or the store brands. Consider it an investment in the future quality of your food.
Who makes the store brand though? It's going to be one of those huge companies.
@@ScooterinAB Yes, the store brand is made by big companies, but they have contracts with the stores that prevent shrinkflation, and if store brand sales beat name brand the companies tend to lower or maintain their prices.
Well said.
I've been putting in tons of work building gardens. I'm just starting to think I might have a better life in a developing country than a "developed" country.
Why, as a society are we ok with being lied to all the time?
Because cheaters now prosper and manipulate the narrative.
Bc Canadians are too polite?
Thank you - I find myself asking this everyday.
I think it's because companies know that what they're providing is a basic human need. We _need_ to eat so we'll pay whatever it costs.
You're not being lied to. Take resposibility. Think.
I would love to see Canada have ingredient labeling like in Europe, where the ingredient list has to indicate the percentage of each ingredient in the product. It should also be required for any product--food or personal care items--to state on the packaging if they've recently made a change to the ingredients. There's nothing quite so annoying as buying something you've grown accustomed to only to find that it doesn't taste or smell the same, or that it now contains an ingredient you can't tolerate.
we dont have that, we have a list of ingredients sorted by how much is in the product, but no percentage. We also dont have warning for product changes, Hungary is the only one who's started putting a law in place but it has not been yet actually voted. And there is nothing at the EU level yet to do this
There would be a backlash with some people complaining about government overreach and then the Conservative Party will jump on the bandwagon and campaign against it too like they do with everything else.
I have a friend with a corn intolerance. She's been hit a few times by "trusted" corn free brands suddenly swapping out sugar for corn syrup or whatever oil for corn oil, and not giving any indication they've done this, so she has to read the ingredients list every time she buys something no matter how many times she's bought it before. It's ridiculous.
@@yyunko7764 I had assumed otherwise, as nearly all the European, multi-lingual packaging I've seen (granted, mostly sweets) list ingredients with percentages.
I live in USA. Here, they don't even have to list all of the ingredients in our food! It's also legal for them to mislead us about what is in it. Some of the most famous examples are grape-nut cereal, which contains no grapes or nuts, and our glued meats, which are an actual health and safety concern, since meat that has been glued together has to be cooked more thoroughly than meat that has not been glued together, but consumers are not told when we're buying glued meat. Oh and we're straight up lied to about what kind of fish we're buying, and about food and drink expiration dates, and often about when our food was harvested, and where it came from as well. I'd love to see a reasonable standard brought to the US. Really any reasonable standard at all would be a step up for us.
I know for a FACT that Loblaws increased the price of one of the products I buy when the manufacturer did not increase their price. And they did it TWICE during the pandemic.
maybe loblaws expenses increased? Heat, energy, taxes, wages, service costs etc etc.. but no lets keep parroting the activism.. corporations bad.
@@kirk3916 Never said all corporations.
But some are…
did their operating costs increase? It's not just suppliers its energy costs taxes (carbon taxes affecting logistics), labour costs.
@@kirk3916 and I’m sure their cost operating costs have increased but obviously not too much since they are also reporting record profits.
@@kirk3916 they made record profits, Kirk. Record. Profits. And I can assure you they pay their employees crap all.
I need to correct that lady:
When inflation goes down prices DO NOT go down.
then it is profiteering, like she said. she didn't make a mistake, she gave 2 scenarios.
I think that was her point.The end of inflation means lower prices, so if prices don't drop, it's concrete evidence of profiteering.
Yeah. Inflation is the rate at which prices increase. Lower inflation means prices increase slower.
Deflation means prices go down.
@@ngwooDeflation means lower prices. Inflation means higher prices.
Shrinkflation is not new. It goes back to the high inflation of the 1970's. It was less so prior to the 70's.
Prices naturally increase over time. Usually based on economic growth. But mostly beginning in the 70's due to massive government spending and more so borrowing caused massive influx of money into the system. It's that which created high inflation.
The corporations are at the behest of our governments and central banks policy to influx more Money into the system too, just like us citizens.
Grocery businesses are not profiteering, but or course their physical profits measured in dollars will go up because the value of each dollar shrinks due to inflation.
I'm not saying corporations can't be unethical, but the governments want you distracted from the fact they in bed with central banks are the main culprit of inflation and ultimately things like product shrinkflation.
But ultimately it's our fault because we, well too many of us vote for big government spending. We chastise politicians who advocate less government spending and more efficiency.
I do the grocery shopping in my house and shrink and skimpflation is an absolute epidemic. Not only that but they’ve raised the prices. I know of countless items that have reduced quality and raised prices. This needs to be spotlighted endlessly until these greedy companies reverse course. They’ve realized they can get away with it and we’ll still buy it.
Want to know the nefarious next step? After shrinking it (while keeping the price the same/slightly increasing it) they will bring it back to the original size and say, "Bigger size!" and charge you even more....then rinse and repeat....over and over and over. This needs to be curbed/regulated...its outright fraud.
And then to top it all off , they expect you to do a cashiers job for free (nope not me, I refuse to use self-checkout). I refuse to pay more than a certain amount a least. If everyone did this it would wake the corporations up to stop.
I noticed this a long time ago when orange juice went from 64 to 59 oz.
We live in a world where lying is then norm.
A world where the end justifies the means.
Where the $ justifies anything.
You buy a bag of chips 60% of the bag is air. But the price increases all the same.
We are paying more, getting less, and these companies take in record profits while using the word “inflation” to cover what they’re doing.
Inflation is not the issue, corporate control and concentration is the issue.
"Inflation is not the issue, corporate control and concentration is the issue." So true but that air in the bag keeps you from buying a bag of crumbs/crushed chips
@@robertlawson7329 Fair enough.
Although you can't deny the bags themselves are getting bigger while quantity of chips within remains the same, if not slightly less.
@@robertlawson7329 I'll take 400grams of crushed chips over 200g of intact chips if it costs the same.
It's normal for chips to have air for cushioning so your chips don't crush in transport, about 25%
But lately, I've seen chip bags with about 70% air content, it's basically empty.
The quality is going down. I bought a watermelon. I cut it in half the next day and had to throw
it out the center was rotten. I made the mistake a week later and bought a cantaloupe, the next when I cut it in half I had to throw it away. It was rotten.
Häagen-Dazs used to be 500 ml, I'm not sure when it change to 450. I've noticed an increase in layers and extras type flavours, which allows them to fill the tub with cheap mix-ins and less of the expensive cream.
Remember when government actually looked out for its citizens with proper consumer regulations? ... You know what we pay taxes for!
Those days are long gone my friend.
@@Richard-or2km Yup! Now it's just full of politicians looking to live the good life at our expense and they make a sport of wasting as much money as possible in the process and using their positions to setup cushy gigs for when they get kicked to the curb from the Government! It's so corrupt it's not funny!
Monopolies and price hikes. Check your MPs votes online, they all vote in favour of Telecom monopoly. Why is that? We can only $peculate...
@@thyagofurtado Yes for sure, although with Cell phone I get 50gb/month and unlimited thereafter throttled data and unlimited Canada wide talk/text with Public Mobile (Telus) and have Canada wide coverage for travelling for $34/month
@@CedroCron Internet and cell service is absolutely ridiculous in Canada. I got more for 1/10 the price in 2010 outside the country
Corporations are not your friends
@Tomyum19 Government is run by big business so, poTAYto/ poTAto.
Andrew you are a real journalist. Thank you!
Watch his South Korea dog meat ban video. You might change your mind. I did.
@@philipsimmonds1103 His pay chq is bigger than yours. Enuff said
@@chesterfieldjones1055I've watched that, and honestly, I have no idea about the food culture there. I know in some parts of China they do eat dog meat, but I was surprised about South Korea.
Can you please tell me how did that change your mind?
@@philipsimmonds1103 he might be! But at least, he's trying to deliver findings, with the least amount of agenda-injection.
@@hbahoo This wasn't about the food culture in South Korea. I was already aware of the dog meat culture there. I wanted to know about the ban. I found it interesting (and supported) the ban. That's why I started watching it. The issue I had was that they showed the dog meat. They didn't have to do that. They could have told the story without showing the meat. Seeing the meat was very, very disturbing to me. I had to stop watching as I was very nauseous.
The story itself would have been fine without the graphic display of meat. Why did they have to show it? Would people have been confused about what they were talking about without actually seeing the meat. They show news stories about bombings and killings without showing corpses and bodyparts. Why not use the same discretion here?
Show me another news outlet that does stories like this. Thank you CBC 🙏
Pierre Poilivre's crowd: "Rebel News! "
😅
Most people hatting on Cbc dont even watch it and have no idea what it covers 😖
@@d1veralex why did you post the same comment 9 times? Lol
@@Royan1900Because youtube is not the best anymore
Baaaaaaaa
I remember MANY years ago there was a TV commercial in which the character is musing that if his company that sold jars of olives removed just one olive from each jar, it would save the company a significant amount of money. And all I thought was, "Great, so the goal is to rake in the same revenue by cheating every customer just a tiny bit? This is why we can't trust industries to legislate their own practices."
Yes, this was one of the first recognized examples. Another was the enlarging of the hole on a tube of toothpaste so more product was used. And of course, the "Wagon Wheel" shrinkage scandal was from the same time period. Conclusion, this has been going on for a long time.
@@widfara1 I remember the Wagon Wheel shrinkage controversy. I also remember, about thirty years ago, noticing that the solid antiperspirants sold in the U.S. stated on their packaging that they contained the amount of product listed on the label PLUS 'sufficient product to secure it' in the twist-up base, which made me wonder if Canadian solid antiperspirants were allowed to state the total amount as the weight on the label, and that is was possible that we were getting less usable product than we thought we were paying for.
I now eat a lot less processed food - where it seems the shrinkflation and skimpflation are the worst. I think it gives me more control over how I spend my grocery dollars. Also, when I've found fresh produce that, on opening, is not very fresh, I return it. It's a pain, but I want my voice heard. I live alone and I certainly can't afford to be throwing out food!
This right here. Grocery store wants me to pay $5-6 for a pound of strawberries, but I’ve told them three times the cooler they keep the berries in is broken and warm to the touch. So if you don’t get the berries the day they stock, you’re more often than not buying already moldy berries. I’ll pay for them when you start storing them properly.
Yes
@@hayleyhellbound9513 You're better off buying frozen berries and then just defrosting them as needed. The prices have skyrocketed, but at least you don't need to worry so much about the ones on the bottom of the punnet being moldy.
I agree. Processed food is the worst financially and also health wise and it is definitely a lot more expensive not being able to share food. For me, I never buy things like crackers, biscuits, ice cream, or even chips. And definitely no pop. I eat way more fresh vegetables and I cook more now using simple but high-quality, tasty ingredients. I enjoy eating more and feel healthier. Not an option for everyone, obviously, since it can be expensive to buy a wide variety of things you might want, but really when you look at the price of some of the processed stuff many people eat, you can often create a healthier, more-balanced diet from just a few unprocessed ingredients. Things like eggs, butter, milk Greek yoghurt, mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and/or kale, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, good-quality cheeses, whole-wheat bread and olive oil and a few other things like plain oats for breakfast instead of cereal or muesli and frozen berries instead of fresh, for example, can go a long way as a base for creating tasty meals. Nuts like walnuts and almonds, and also pumpkin seeds are extremely healthy and can be added to salads, deserts or eaten as a snack. They're not cheap, but they are healthy and last without going bad, a small handful fills you up a lot better than cookies or chips. Also, even if you like meat you don't necessarily need to eat it for both lunch and dinner. You might not get the same amount of variety of meals you're used to if you try to eat unprocessed food as you need to try to use everything up before it spoils. That's the main downside. But you'll still be ahead of the game by eating healthier.
more videos like this please :)
We're getting screwed due to the price increases but also the decrease in ml or grams we're getting. When food inflation states 5-8%, it's more like 30-45%. My kraft peanut butter was 3.89 in 2022, now it's 5.29 at superstore. That's a 30-40% increase in just over a year. I have yet to check the ml I'm getting
Im with you on this. You use to be able to get Kraft PB on sale for $3 only a couple years ago, now $5 is a typical sale price. Luckily they are still at the 1KG size for their standard jars, its just the price that has shot up.
@@kyletrusler4565you might also want to check the ingredients, have they mixed in more margarine and less peanuts!
CBC being brave leaving the comments open on this video.
I appreciate every single one of these clips!
Where I'm from they changed a few things that helped.
1. Change of amount must be clearly displayed by law at the front corner of the pack, in large bold letters stating the change in either "contains X percent/liters less" or "X units/grams vs Y units/grams previously."
This must be displayed at least 6 months from the change.
2. They reinstated the obligation of price tags on every package, a price tag on the shelf is not enoogh. This is very important as you don't have to count on codes or confusing names to match a product to the tag, atvthe cash the price on themproduct isnthe one they must charge, even if there is a different price "in the system" and you see the price at home on the package so you're more likely to notice a price change.
3. He "Vector" thing is illegal (the factbthat it's legal in Canada doesn't make it right).
Unfortunately greedflasion is as worst as in Canada.
Where are you from?
You think your food is expensive now? Just wait until they implement #2. The logistics involved, especially when items come on sale, would be astounding.
The worst ones ive found for this are the frozen chicken products, wings, nuggets, strips etc. The box is generally labeled at 908g but half that weight is from included sauce packets.
Yes and I just throw those sauce packets in the trash. I can't eat them.
Also they include the inedible wing tips that you would just throw away
And they doubled/tripled in price
Sauce packets? What kind of frozen chicken are you buying?
@TheScrubmuffin69 alot of the bigger boxes do this plum sauce with chicken strips or hot sauce with wings. Especially ones that say pub style and stuff like that. they will have a big bag of slushy sauce that your suppose to warm seperately
I bought what I thought was Breyers Cookies and Cream ice cream but it tasted awful. Then I looked at the label closely and it said "frozen dairy dessert." Turns out they changed the recipe to cut costs and could no longer legally call it "ice cream."
I don't understand why corporations (Unilever this case) buy a brand new just to ruin it.
There is no ice cream, honey, or soap anymore.
Breyer sis the worst. Stick to Chapman’s
@@cyberwarlord7363 Buying direct from local farmers/ makers. I buy my soap and gelato from local makers and honey from a farmer down the road.
You probably just grabbed the wrong product.
Vector has been a scam from the beginning. Its protein comes from the milk. So Frosted Flakes could be considered protein cereal 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Like the Martin Mull add. Sugar coated, sugar fortified little bits of sugar. 10 grams of Frosted Flakes with 100 ml of milk provides all the dietary goodness of 100 ml of milk. More nutrients in the box.
@@andyeunson270 exactly!
Don't ever forget Loblaws and its bread price-fixing scandal whenever Loblaws denies greedflation
Yup... All these companies, from the grocers, to the wholesalers, to the producers, etc all claim that THEY are not the reason for the price increases. So who IS making all this money?
Loblaws also owns the whole production chain in many cases so they're price fixing the whole way up.
Really love the quality of your programme and I’m not even Canadian.
I saw some comments here pointing the finger at the federal government (Trudeau, of course) for not doing enough to curb corporate greed, and I totally get it and would support it. But what I want to know is, are they also the same people who want less government regulations and "more freedom"?
Fair comment.
Of course it's not the same people. People who want less government regulation also want less restriction on what can be put in food, and don't want any laws prohibiting skimpflation or shrinkflation.
populism does not operate based on rationality, if it did, it would not exist!
I feel like its not fair to mention carbon tax contributing to the grocery store inflation, because it creates obvious supply chain price increases. While instead blaming things like “the war in Ukraine.” Right wing people get upset at this because that and the clips that make singh look like a hero, are obviously pandering to the left wing audience. I thought this was very well done otherwise
It's also completely ignoring the fact that this has been going on for hundreds of years. Look up sawdust bread. This isn't a Trudeau problem. It's a greed problem.
I noticed shrinkflation going back years but felt crazy saying so since it wasn't common knowledge but now that it is ill add I'm pretty sure they add rotten fruit into packaging to make the fresh fruit go bad earlier. It sounds silly even suggesting it but after seeing it so many times over the years where a whole pack of something is 99% fresh but with one rotten item. I'm convinced it's not just by chance. I've never seen two or three rotten items, always just the one buried inside the rest.
It has been happening for a long, long time. We notice it more now because everything is so much more expensive. If a box of those Chewy granola bars was $2 and you looked at it and thought it was a little on the tiny side, you might just shrug and say 'oh well, it was just $2.' But now that it's more than $2, it's a little harder to justify.
I sure noticed it in my ice cream - 2Litres now down to 1.69 with the exception of Chapman's. Still a full 2 Litres
@@lynnewilliams542Coaticook's also still 2L
Not long ago the Wawa convenience stores had a strawberry parfait that I liked but then the size was almost cut in half and it no longer had strawberry chunks in it, just like a jam. Yet the price stayed the same. Very disappointing.
I absolutely hate our greedy society.
i agree. human greed is evil.
The 'per 100g' price is the most important. The text for these values needs to be increased on the price; perhaps even the same font size as the unit price.
Here here
While I'm all for this, it's pretty clear that even if this was implemented, they'd still screw us over. We also need solid caps on how many billions of our dollars food companies are allowed to take every year.
Yes! I agree. I literally go shopping without my kids so that I can stop and read those tiny fonts and compare. It’s. So. Time. Consuming. But shocking how much you can save sometimes. The packaging can be very misleading. Also, so often the “sale” price is more than the non sale price of a comparable product!
@@Sam-qt5ff Not to mention the other practice of having the largest price with smaller text stating something like:
Largest text: $3.00
smaller text: when you buy 3 or more
Even smaller text: $3.25 when you buy less than 3
Smallest text: $X.XX per 100g
They are actively trying to obfuscate true value.
@@yaughl absolutely. I find it sickening that our government, who is supposed to protect us and to advocate for us with all those tax dollars they take from us, has done absolutely nothing about this. I don’t care that there’s no laws in place. Then make some! Have a back bone for goodness sakes.
It really feels like we're reliving the great depression when all our items just shrink or get worse like this
Soon we will be like Germany in WWII; have to carry a suitcase of money just to buy a loaf of bread!
This is a recession. Our government has found a way to keep it technically "not in recession" by printing more money and passing it back and forth with their buddies.
If they admitted we're in a recession, they'd be forced to help Canadians instead of hurt Canadians. That's not in the Liberal playbook.
I LITERALLY was just at Walmart the other day and was going to buy their chocolate chip cookies, until I saw the label that said "Chocolate-FLAVORED Chip Cookies". I asked a nearby associate if they knew what the difference was. They weren't sure either, and were definitely shocked when I pointed out the label change. Now I know with this video that they've swapped out the ingredients.
stop shopping at walmart. step one. and dont buy anything with a “y” at the end of its description !!
@@hunterericson6782 It's not just at Walmart I've seen this now.
The problem is that this isn't knew. This has been happening for decades. Hell, it's been happening for about half a millennium. Look up sawdust bread, chalk break, or any of the other horrible alternatives that were a thing ages ago.
@hunterericson So don't buy anything? We don't exactly have options here.
Our cat food was part of shrinkflation definitely during the pandemic. It was very frustrating. Probably still is, I just haven’t paid as close attention recently. Thank you for doing this segment!
Also is part of gouge-inflation, skimp-flation, and shelf-flation!
Cat food has been undergoing shrinkflation since 1990. In 1990 Friskies was an 8.5 oz. think its down to under 5 now.
@@Jackrabbit9961 That, and the price has damn near doubled for some of the wet brands I *used* to buy.
Sould be illegal to change ingredients without changing the name of the product
But they change it, like ice cream not using cream is called ice dessert.
For decades north american grocery stores have used "loss leaders" , store staples that they sell at cost or even less to draw customers in to buy all of their groceries. Now Galen Weston is complaining that Loblaws doesn't make enough money on these items.
Nah its not staffing bs.......its corp greed no question
Was really disappointed in Costco the other day, when I noticed that their pack of Kirkland toilet paper now shows rolls of 380 sheets, compare to the 425 before. And that is after pushing the price from 15,99$ back in 2019 to 18,99$, to 21,99$.... so 6$ more for almost 15% less product....
Be happy this is all they did. Wood prices have soared in the last couple years and have now thankfully dropped (still nowhere near pre-pandemic prices). And as wood is the main ingredient in toilet paper I would expect it to get more expensive as well. Remember the toilet paper shortages a few years ago? Thankfully that's not an issue anymore.
I had a favourite beer battered fish 🐠 and chip meal at a popular city restaurant. The last occasion that I ate there, I was met with my usual large two pieces of fish being less then half their usual size 😮 When I brought it up with the server, her reply was that the manager had told them to tell customers that asked “We have switched to healthy portion meals” 😂
Give the server an unhealthy portion tip $
Tell manager you won't be back!
🤣 oh thanks, buddy, for watching out for our health 🙄
😂😂 she won that argument 😅😅❤
Greedflation does not just happen at the grocery stores. I have seen the same thing in housing. The price of a half duplex has gone up 200,000 in just a few years in Calgary. So much for affordable housing.
greed is a part of it, another part is availability in terms of the housing market as a whole as well as rising interest rates for mortgages etc. the whole system is a disaster.
I’m a Diamond Cart, 4.9 rated Instacart personal shopper here in Victoria, and I can vouch for all of the points listed here. I can’t tell you how many times I have to message a customer and tell them the produce doesn’t look that great, or I don’t feel comfortable picking certain things. Plus, I definitely see the skimming and such. I’m also a health coach and mom of a kindergartener, so I’m label-aware and do notice things… though, I try to stick to 5 ingredients or less in whatever I buy or make to eat. I don’t like wasting food, so I have a lot of things we do, like I will chop up my green onions and then freeze them to last longer… or if my son doesn’t finish a smoothie, we turn them into smoothie pops. I’m also meticulous about checking for mold and juiced fruit when buying for myself and my customers, so at least we have a somewhat good foundation when it comes to spoilage.
The one thing I haven’t figured out how to win is the greedflation part. Who do I need to talk to and tell them to stop lining their pockets for no reason other than greed? Lol I’m great with using the Flipp app to price check before going to stores , but still …😊
This is maybe the best, most unbiased thing that i have ever seen CBC produce!
Imagine buying a envelope with a picture of a Walmart gift card and a text above that says $100. After you've paid $100 and went home you realize it's only a cardboard cutout, and when you read the fine print it explains that in order for it to be worth $100, you need to buy the actual gift card separately, and place it inside. That's what the first story with the cereal sounds like
The law should require all grocery items clearly label price by volume/weight for liquids/solids respectively.
If you shop at superstore or no frills, they have price per 100 grams or ml comparisons. You have to look closely on the price tag on the shelf. I’m not sure about other chain stores but I know they are good for that. Also, usually Costco I think too
Exactly, it's why a prefer those stores too, I think if this was made law, and required a legible font size then shrinkflation tricks would be easier to spot.@@Sam-qt5ff
@@Sam-qt5ffCostco does this as well. Useful when comparing their Kirkland branded stuff against whatever other brand of the same item they sell is.
@@RCLapCar oh man yeah they do! We just went this evening to do our Sunday stock up and so often the brand name is cheaper than kirkland! Really gotta look out. For them to produce their own product they’re already reducing soooo much of the cost. So tag a few dollars onto the selling price and they’re making bank! One of the worst ones is their pre packaged cookies vs famous Amos cookies. The kirkland is almost always more for less cookies.
Hands down my favourite series the CBC News channels runs, keep it up Andrew!
Feels like this guy is the only one putting is real work in journalism instead of focusing on celebrity nonsense.
No wonder why i see products use the word "chocolatey" more and more.
What needs to happen is a regulation to require reusable, standard sized packaging. That would solve both the packaging waste problem AND the shrinkflation problem at the same time by prohibiting the manufacturers from changing the packaging sizes.
This point is where I don’t understand why all the environmental groups begin to scream as packaging and plastic waste are a huge problem. Of course this is only one part of this issue but an easy fix imo.
Yes, yes, yes
Shrinkflation isn't really a problem. The alternative is raising prices.
It's going back several years, but Terry's Chocolate Orange was especially sneaky, shrinking from 175g to 157g. Clearly some thought went into that.
We had noticed that fruits and vegetables have been going bad so much quicker, and we were wondering what was going on.
It's ridiculous that the Canadian government continues to allow corporate monopolies in grocery, telecom, and oil when there should be competition.
This is on the Canadian government and decades of catering to the wealthy and corporations.
I enjoy "About That". I hope you're able to continue it in some way, Andrew, hwhen the CBC is abolished.
How is this not regulated
Corporate lobbying.
@Tomyum19 Just based on what you said, yes, the government already regulated what can and cannot go into companies products, so why shouldn't the government be able to require companies to put very obvious labels on their products that inform customers that there have been changes to the product (including size). Other governments have done so. Canada can as well, Tommy.
@Tomyum19 Dude, only certain ingredients are allowed (what you can put in) and others are not (what you can't put in, things like large amounts of glass and arsenic). So yes, the government regulates what companies can and cannot put in food. You know this.
@Tomyum19 You're the one doing what you're telling me not to, is the problem: You know full well that the government already places some regulations of on food products. You've admitted this. And you're aware that other government's have required companies to very clearly label changes in formula and size, so you know it's possible. So what are you even upset about and trying to argue? You're not even saying anything at all, Tom.
@Tomyum19 My gosh, learn to read.
I said: "the government already regulated what can and cannot go into companies products, so why shouldn't the government be able to require companies to put very obvious labels on their products that inform customers that there have been changes to the product (including size). Other governments have done so. Canada can as well, Tommy."
And you said "wrong". None of that is wrong. You've agreed that the government regulates what companies can or cannot put in products. You know that the government can require clearer labelling when changes are made. You're telling me I'm wrong with one breath, and then agreeing right after. Give it a rest.
Every time i buy blueberries/raspberries i can always find a pack with mold in it
I find stuff like peanut butter and Gatorade have the bottom of the bottles hollowed out more every year but still claimed same weight, which I find odd.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen the price of anything go down after the reason for the increase was no longer valid
Excellent reporting.
5:32 I saw this one at the Dollar Tree, both were the same price. They stocked the larger tube out of sight at the very bottom rear of the shelf.
Also noticed some products that used to be labeled "Ice Cream" are now "Frozen Dairy Desert".
There's actually a great reason for this, and I would intentionally pay for the smaller one instead. Airports limit liquids to 3.4oz (100g). These small toothpastes are mostly for travel, so it makes sense to be below the airport limit.
Isn't it all just 'Greed'? All these silly terms making something simple seem complicated. Sad really. Also the onus should never be on the consumer to 'know better' - what then is the need for regulators / governments?
I think people notice when your products get smaller, there’s just nothing you can do about it. I’ve been buying the same pasta for years and when they switched to plastic-free boxes, they came with about half the weight. I noticed right away that I could only get about 2 meals from what used to give me 3 or 4 for the same price. This video talks about detecting shrinkflation and about avoiding it, but what am I gonna do, not buy food? It’s not just that some products are inelastic, but that at big grocery stores like walmart, there’s often just one brand or one cheap brand and a bunch of expensive alternatives.
Another example of shrinkflation are hot dogs and bacon, they used to be 1 lb 454 g they are both now 375 grams. We used to get 12 wieners now you get 10.
Thank you for this.
Chips always go in a cycle. They decrease the package size over time for the same price, then a few years later they release a new pack that is called party size (or similar) which is the original but for a higher price.
Yes😊
Great reporting, why'd it take so long? Also, why are we at their mercy, instead of implementing a windfall tax? Disaster profiteering is also illegal, where's enforcement? And we don't need to "know better" we need to close loopholes.
Not even past the Vector part and had to chime in. I used to buy Vector cereal about 19 years ago until I realized this exact same thing. At that time I changed to "Tony's turbos" a childrens "sports" cerceal that had far far more nutrition.
Try switching to overnight oats with chia seeds and some protein powder. Add fruit and honey in the morning and it will be the best breakfast 'cereal'!
I eat vector cereal right out of the box, like chips!
But prices go up in inflation - but rarely go down when inflation stops.
There is a mostly simple way to avoid shrinkflation: Avoid products that come in packages, as most other items are sold either by the pound, or in another clearly countable way. In my neighborhood, that means mostly shopping around the perimeter of the store (fruit/veggie section, some of the seafood section, nearly all of the meat section, eggs which nearly always come by the dozen, and block cheeses which are priced by the ounce or pound, and some butters (most butter here comes in 4 bars, each bar consisting of 8 tablespoons. If that amount shrinks, it will be relatively easy to notice). I only really need to be on full alert for things like most liquids (where I live, water and gasoline can be purchased by volume, with our own container, and most dairy drinks come in standard sizes, like gallons and quarts, but other liquids, from oils to juices, come in varying sizes that can easily be changed without us noticing), any grains, seeds, or legumes that can't be purchased by the pound in my own container, pre shredded or sliced cheeses, any dairy that comes in a tub, anything in a can, dried veggies and spices, anything in the freezer isle, and of course, all breads, alcohols, and other junkfoods. Mostly, the shrinkflation happens on items in the center of the store, and in the freezer section.
And the boxes are ridiculously large for the quantity of product in the box, something that is not environmentally sound.
Here in Australia we get a lot of shrinkflation. Packet sizes get smaller for same cost or even more cost.
Time to tax the crap out of all these companies. They're going to raise prices anyway.
They just pass the buck on to us, and all our food is corporate controlled
I don't know if that would help. The companies would just increase the price of the product to cover the loss from the taxation. Companies could pay fines, and taxes, but the money to pay those would probably be included in the increased cost of product...and of course sales tax on top of that. I get the impression that the government doesn't want to solve the problem. The higher the price of the product, the more tax revenue it generates for the government.
Sounds good on the surface but the taxes would be passed to the consumer. Instead, a way to tax shareholder value increases - instead of only taxing the profits when shares are sold. Which they never are, because the shares (and increase in value) is used as collateral for loans and credit for expenses.
All tinned products are being replaced with more water and the price increased.
The one I really hate is toilet paper. 6=12, 6=18, everything except the actual weight of the product!
Yes
Love these types of videos! Andrew is very entertaining and knowledgeable...keep up the good work. Noticed shrinkflation in candy bars...Mars for example, much thinner than they used to be. Wish I had an old package to compare the weight!
I have been buying and eating Mars for over 60 years. It is the one product which, over that time, has repeatedly and incrementally reduced the size of its product, only to occasionally bounce back to full size, starting the process again. In a way Mars was a leader in this shrinkflation process.
I have been buying and eating Mars for over 60 years. It is the one product which, over that time, has repeatedly and incrementally reduced the size of its product, only to occasionally bounce back to full size, starting the process again. In a way Mars was a leader in this shrinkflation process.
Two things I noticed in this piece. First, the reporting seemed to be indicating that the government asking questions of the supermarkets was some sort of action to help people when it was nothing more than grandstanding. There was no follow up on that to show that it did absolutely nothing to help consumers. Secondly, the cute nicknames for all the ways in which corporations are cheating consumers minimizes their corruption and the seriousness of the issue. Call it what is is, deception.
Selling smaller products isn't deception unless you lie about the size. Selling products with cheaper ingredients is not deception unless you lie about the ingredients.
It might not technically be deception but when a company maintains the look of the packaging while decreasing the quantity or quality of a product, it is deceptive and intended to be so.@@me-myself-i787
Always thought cereals were a massive rip-off.
NO NAME just straight up gives you less. 180 g chips only contain about 100 g. Galen Weston is evil. The bread case - he just gave out 6 million in gift, $25 each, cards as an apology for ripping off Canadians for years.
i've started seeing ads for no name on youtube and stickers and posters for their products all over the shelves in grocery stores, I thought the whole deal was they dont pay for branding and advertising and they pass those savings on to us - but I guess not any more
Supply chain problems my a$$. Its been for 4 years since covid. THanks CBC as i've noticed this on a lot of products. I really hope these companies get fined or charged!
if they are honest why don't they write those asterisk notes on packages in bigger fontsize, that we can read without a microscope?
Orange juice used to be sold in 2 liters cartons, just like milk. Now they're 1.89L, and I even saw 1.56L...
This downsizing strategy should be regulated asap!
Why? If you make it illegal to downsize the product they will just increase the price.
If you’re Canadian and you live in Canada you just have to accept you’re getting ripped off. On everything.
If you are a consumer you have to accept companies you're getting ripped off. On everything. - It has nothing to with Canada.
Especially in B.C.!!
Canada is not unique, people get ripped off everywhere, especially in the United States. Just google food fraud and see for yourself. Canada has stronger consumer protection laws than the United States.
I remember back in the late 70's General Mills advertised a cereal than no longer exists at least under it's original name Crispy Wheat and Raisins. When it was released it was touted to have 100% RDA of 10 key nutrients. Less than a few years later, it only had 25%. Either they were stretching the truth when it came out or they quietly cut back due to ingredient costs.
Or both!
Here we go again…have less while spending more 😢
Everything is getting smaller, thinner, cheaper and more expensive, even dish soap is thinner than it was and our government is allowing them all to rip us off. Even stores are sticking it to us by making us buy multiples of an item just to get something close to a normal price. The only thing we can do about it is to stop buying products and shop at different stores, sometimes that's not possible but do what you can. I use to shop at one store for 24 years now I use the flyers and go where the deals are, that store has lost 90% of my business.
Not a CBC fan but this program and host is top notch.
He surprisingly did not mention the "thinning" of boxes of Vector and other serials. The face size of the boxes has stayed the same but depth (thickness) of the boxes has steadily reduced to the point they are unstable in the shelves. Also, reduced content amount increases the packaging ratio meaning more packaging waste is a byproduct of shrinkflation.
That's the shrinkflation thing.
Loblaws makes you pay a listing fee that gets higher and higher because they have a monopaly on the market. This causes companies to shink their products to maintain/increase their profits. A simple solution is to make companies list the packaging version on their package similar to software versions. When the package changes for whatever reason their package version should change.
It doesn’t only hurt consumers but the planet also more plastic more waste! Etc.
It's educational pieces like this that are important for the consumer. Thank you Andrew for your reporting.
It's downright hilarious how they justify the less is more ideology. "You WILL pay MORE for LESS and you WILL ACCEPT IT as a GOOD THING!" Your Lizard Lord has spoken.
They've already won. I'm forced to eat monkey food pellets purchased from zoo suppliers to get by. It's cheaper than buying food at the grocery store.
I really like these videos please keep making them.
The Italian dressing with less oil also has 380mg of sodium compared with 290mg in the higher oil original. 🤔
Like the man said in the video. They replaced the oil with water and salt.
I knew things were get smaller but I never stopped to think they were using lower quality ingredients too. Every day its becoming more apparent that if you want to really know what your eating. You got to buy local, if possible. Though with how high the cost of living is now its not exactly easy. Thank you for this video
the discipline of deception= marketing
I’m vegetarian, and so many vegetables are spoiled within a day or 2. The cost is getting insane.
Years ago that same box of Dipps had 6 bars in it, now it has 5. As for the Vector issue, thank god we have laws in place for the nutritional label that they can't find a way to dodge yet.
I used to buy them when they were 1.99 a box now they're 3.49 in some places. I've just stopped buying them.
that box of Dipps once had 10 in it
@@Sanity016I was the same way with Clif bars. Used to get 12 for eleven dollars. Now they're 18+ and I haven't bought them since.
Bought a box of Dipps a week ago. On sale for $2.22. When i opened the box, each one was barely bigger than one of those mini chocolate bars you buy bags of at Halloween. Never again; total rip off. And yes, only 5 of the tiny things per tiny box.
Just try to buy groceries with a food allergy. Then you notice every time the formulation changes.
Next do comparison of supposedly same product but in two different form such as regular bottle and upside down squeeze bottle. Not only you get less, pay more but also different formulation
If the government really wanted to help, they would cut the Carbon Tax.
It's not just groceries, is it? Cost to cremate my cat last month and have a paw print made in ceramic had more than DOUBLED from 2020. DOUBLED! and it wasn't exactly inexpensive in 2020 ($80 for the paw print vs $175 now). Cremation now $385. Vancouver area.
was your recent cat 2x bigger?
I'm not in the great country of Canada. I live 20 miles from the border.
However, this is an awesome report and makes me jealous that I don't live in your country!
Great job!