“Don’t get me started on Pringles!” TikTok star exposes brands most guilty of ‘shrinkage inflation’ – as Starbucks comes under fire for selling sandwich the size of its PALM
- Brand strategist Neal Chauhan documents all the products he finds guilty of shrink inflation
- Chauhan has amassed more than 40,000 followers from his “Most Embarrassing Shrinkage Examples” series
- Companies are increasingly under fire for shrinking products to cope with rampant inflation
A TikTok star is on a mission to expose companies guilty of “shrink inflation” – reducing the size of their products but keeping the price tag the same.
Neal Chauhan – who works in brand strategy for Marketing for toy soldiers — has accused Starbucks, Pringles, and even Tide PODS of engaging in this practice as he emphasized the miniature size of their products.
Chauhan, who regularly posts videos to his 40,000 followers titled “the most embarrassing examples of shrinkage inflation.”
In one image he shows a picture of a bacon, gouda and egg sandwich that fits neatly in the palm of his hand. Commentators describe the product as a “damn slider.”
In other clips, he compared the contents of a product on the inside with the outer packaging – which is misleadingly large.
Neal Chauhan emphasized the miniature size of a Starbucks bacon, gouda and egg sandwich that fits in the palm of his hand. He also showed how an RX Cereal box was much bigger than the bag inside
In one, he writes of Kellogg’s “RX cereal” that the product “doesn’t even remotely fill their bag.”
He then uploads a photo of what appears to be a half-empty Pringles can and adds, “Don’t get me started on Pringles.”
In another shot, he compared the size of two different Tide PODS. He wrote, “Tide PODS have gotten smaller.”
Chauhan, who works in brand strategy, told the Daily PointBusinesses need to remember that this next generation of consumers is watching, learning and willing to hold companies accountable.
Chauhan, pictured, said brands should be held “accountable” when they lower prices without lowering costs
Chauhan, who regularly posts videos for his 40,000 followers alongside the caption “the most embarrassing examples of shrinkage”
“I am grateful that my TikTok series has been a catalyst for this global conversation.
“But now the responsibility ultimately falls on companies to align their practices with the expectations of today’s informed consumer.”
The messages have sparked a wave of backlash from frustrated customers.
One of them wrote, “This isn’t even inflation anymore, it’s PRICE DROP AND GREED.”
Another said, “Business greed knows no bounds.”
Companies have long been accused of “shrinkage inflation” – but the trend appears to have accelerated with rampant inflation – which peaked at 9.1 percent last June, but has now cooled to 3 percent.
Subsequently, companies saw their profit margins plummet – while production costs skyrocketed as they remain under pressure to keep prices relatively stable.
Last year, toilet paper manufacturer Charmin, chocolate manufacturer Bounty and energy drink manufacturer Gatorade were all charged with participating in the practice.