Meaning
The practice of reducing the size, amount or volume of a product while keeping its price the same, so that consumers effectively pay more per unit without a visible price rise. The word names both the corporate practice and the phenomenon as discussed by economists and regulators. Neutral in economics, accusatory in consumer discourse; almost always implies deception of shoppers. Regional use: General English.
Origin
A portmanteau of 'shrink' and 'inflation'. Merriam-Webster credits British economist Pippa Malmgren with coining the modern use around 2015, while noting earlier, somewhat different uses by other economists - the early-2000s history of the word is not fully settled, and Wikipedia's etymology section likewise treats the earlier trail as murky (an economist named Brian Domitrovic used a version of it in 2009). The term surged during the inflation wave of 2021-2022, when consumer-protection figures and regulators (such as a widely covered US Federal Reserve-adjacent debate and European consumer organisations) discussed shrinking package sizes. Merriam-Webster added 'shrinkflation' to its dictionary in 2022, and the same year some retailers named it an informal word of the year, cementing its move from economists' jargon to household vocabulary.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- shrinkflation hoax (disputed usage)
- shrinkflationary
Usage Examples
- The cereal box looks identical, but shrinkflation quietly cut it from 500 grams to 420.
- Consumer groups now track shrinkflation by price per litre so shoppers can spot the changes.
- He accused the snack brand of shrinkflation after the new bars had visibly fewer squares.