Biden the Grouch: Joe says he was ‘stunned’ to find out the Cookie Monster is getting smaller cookies because of shrinkflation – and slams companies for charging the same price for a bag of chips when you get ‘helluva much less’
- Biden held an event at the White House on “shrinkflation,” in which companies make their products smaller while maintaining the same price
- “I’ll tell you who did notice: the Cookie Monster. He pointed out that his cookies are getting smaller but paying the same price,” Biden said
- “I was stunned when I found out this had happened,” he added
President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was “stunned” to discover that the Cookie Monster has fallen victim to “shrinkflation” and slammed chip companies for charging the same price for bags while getting “a whole lot less.”
The 81-year-old president sided with the Sesame Street character in his anger at corporations, especially snack companies, that gave Americans less for what they spent.
His comments were in response to the blue, furry muppet who posted on his X: “I hate shrinkflation! My cookies are getting smaller’.
“I’ll tell you who noticed: the Cookay Monster. HHe pointed out that his cookies are getting smaller, but they pay the same price. “I was stunned when I found out this had happened,” the president said.
President Joe Biden noted in an event on ‘shrinkflation’ that even Cookie Monster (above) gets smaller cookies for the same price
‘Shrinkflation’ refers to companies making their products smaller while maintaining the same price.
Biden held an event at the White House on the topic, which has become a central part of their economic messaging ahead of the 2024 election.
In a video ahead of the Super Bowl, self-proclaimed ice cream lover Biden said, “What angers me most is that ice cream cartons have shrunk in size, but not in price.”
He told snack companies to stop playing the American public as “suckers” and called on companies to “end” charging the same price for smaller portions and products.
In his speech Tuesday, the president noted that it wasn’t just cookies,
He pointed out that consumers have to pay the same price for a bag of chips, and ‘heluva much less’.
The White House is trying to focus voters’ anger about the economy on corporate America.
Polls show voters give Biden low marks for his handling of the economy.
Food products in particular were hit hard by inflation. And even though inflation is slowly falling, grocery costs remain high.
And the Cookie Monster has sprung into action.
On Monday, the beloved blue muppet wrote on this X account: “I hate shrinkflation! My cookies are getting smaller,” he said, adding a sad emoji.
The White House picked it up.
“C is for consumers getting scammed,” the official White House account wrote on X, retweeting Cookie Monster’s post.
“President Biden does calling on companies to put an end to shrinkflation.’
“I’ll tell you who did notice: the Cookie Monster. He pointed out that his cookies are getting smaller, but they pay the same price. “I was stunned to find out this had happened,” President Joe Biden said
Shrinkflation saves companies money, but consumers are angry about it. Last year this meant fewer sheets of toilet paper on a roll; less juice in a bottle; or in the case of Cookie Monster, smaller cookies.
Even White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the cookie controversy.
“I can’t believe I’m having a conversation about Cookie Monster from the podium,” she said when a reporter questioned her during the daily briefing.
But she argued that the White House did not use the beloved muppet. Cookie Monster supported the administration.
“It certainly feels like the Cookie Monster is responding to us and what we’ve said,” she said.