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Kellogg’s making big change to Corn Flakes leaving shoppers exasperated – and there’s a hidden penalty
Plus other items affected by the sneaky tactic
SHOPPERS are feeling the crunch after Kellogg’s shrunk the size of Corn Flakes leaving them paying more.
Two of the brand’s four different pack sizes have gone down in weight by 50g.
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A box of 720g Kellogg's Corn Flakes boxes is now 670g and 500g boxes are down to 450g.
But the smaller 670g boxes are being sold at £3.20 in Tesco - the same price as for the larger box when it was sold in May.
At the time there was also a Clubcard deal making them £2.75, meaning shoppers are now paying more for less.
The 450g boxes are £2.19, while the previous 500g boxes were only pennies more at £2.25.
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A similar trend has been seen across the other supermarkets, apart from Morrisons, where the price has gone down in proportion to the size reduction.
But in the case of the 670g box, the price decrease was due to a promotion.
The change has sparked fury among shoppers who pointed out that they will now have to buy packs more often.
One said on the Tesco website: “You don't eat less just because it is in a smaller packet.
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"Now you just need to buy more frequently. So, who is really benefiting here? Not the consumer.”
Another reviewer pointed out that it’s not the first time the product has shrunk.
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They added: “Another shrinking of the pack with price staying the same or going up.
“In recent memory 790g, 720g, now 670g… Dear Kellogg's, you sell Corn Flakes, not gold flakes.”
The change from 790g to 720g happened in 2019 when the price was only £2.69.
Others took umbrage at the fact the 670g box was marked “New” on the Tesco website - even though the product had simply shrunk.
What is shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is when manufacturers shrink the size or quantity of a product while keeping the price the same.
This means that consumers will be paying more per given amount.
Rising the price per given amount is a well-oiled strategy used by companies, mainly the food and beverage industries, to stealthily boost profit margins or to cement them in times of rising input costs.
It is a form of hidden inflation as shrinkflation often goes unnoticed by customers.
One said: “Lovely product but I am fed up with items being described as new when in fact it is just less product for the same amount of money.”
Other Corn Flakes pack sizes - 250g and 1kg - remain unchanged.
Kellogg’s said it was up to the shops what they charge, but Tesco said it was up to the manufacturer to comment on pricing.
Manufacturers issue a recommended retail price (RRP) for a product, but shops make the ultimate decision on what to charge and often sell at a promotional discount.
Tesco and Morrisons are currently charging slightly less than the £3.29 RRP for the 670g product, while Tesco and Asda are charging less than the 450g pack’s RRP of £2.25.
A Kellogg’s spokesman said: “Kellogg's Corn Flakes are available in four different box sizes to suit different shopper preferences and needs.
“As the cost of ingredients and production processes increase, it costs us more to make our products than it used to.
"This can impact the recommended retail price. It’s the grocer’s absolute discretion and decision what price to charge shoppers."
It added that it offered "added value" with promotions on packets, like 25% off Merlin Entertainment venues such as Alton Towers and Sea Life aquariums.
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Kellogg’s move is the latest row over shrinkflation, which occurs when brands and supermarkets reduce the size of the products while charging the same amount for them.
This week it emerged Waitrose has decreased the number of sheets per roll of its brand of lavatory paper from 240 to 190, but only dropped the price by £1.
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