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Christmas favourites including Cadbury chocs that shrunk this year – and some prices have stayed the same
The size of some of the nation's favourite savoury and sweet food items has been reduced from last year
SHOPPERS have noticed the portions of some family treats have shrunk over the years but a new study has revealed which festive favourites have been worst hit.
Shrinkflation has seen the size of some snacks, including Cadbury chocolate, getting smaller as the prices stay the same.
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Some Christmas snacks and dinner staples have not been spared from this not-so-joyous practice.
Which? has discovered the victims of this year's shrinkflation cuts that consumers should be on the look for.
The consumer group compared the sizes and prices of some of the nation's festive favourites from 2023 to 2024.
Cadbury announced it would bring back its chocolate-filled Mini Snowballs this year. But Which? noticed the family-sized bag had shrunk from 296 grams to 270 grams.
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Despite this smaller size, the consumer group said its price had increased as fans paid 20% more for 9% less chocolate, compared to this time last year.
They discovered this change at major supermarkets like Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Waitrose.
Unfortunately, this has not been the only Cadbury product to be hit by these changes.
The medium Santa selection box fell from 145 grams to 125 grams, despite a huge 59% price increase at Morrisons.
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Cadbury's Buttons selection box has become 9% smaller as it drops from 375 grams to 340 grams.
Another festive chocolate victim was Nestlé’s Dairy Box, which now has 36 treats instead of 40 in the winter collection.
'Finally' cry choc fans as Cadbury brings back iconic sweets for Christmas – and they taste just like Mini Eggs
Variation has also been targeted in this box, as buyers will only have a choice of eight different chocolates instead of ten.
Despite these changes, Which? revealed the price of this box has increased by £2 in Asda, compared to last year, but has stayed the same in Tesco and Sainsbury's.
The smaller version of this Nestlé Dairy Box has also shrunk from 20 chocolates to 16 this year.
Even the "classic collection" has dropped from 40 to 32 sweets.
WHAT IS SHRINKFLATION?
Shrinkflation is when manufacturers reduce the size or quantity of a product, while keeping the price the same, explains consumer editor Lynsey Barber.
Prices are rising and food and drink makers are reluctant to pass this on to consumers.
Instead, shrinking the item means the price tag doesn't change. But shoppers get less for their money.
Some manufacturers have even put UP the price at the same time as making products smaller.
Another tactic used is known as skimpflation.
This is when the recipe of food and drink is changed to try and reduce production costs.
But shoppers still pay the same, or more.
It means shoppers won't pay more when costs increase for the company making the item - but they will get less product.
Smaller products are easier for customers to digest compared to increasing prices, making it a popular option for manufacturers as it's less noticeable.
The ever-loved sharing tubs of sweets, chocolates, or caramels, have famously gotten smaller and smaller throughout the years and 2024 has been no different.
A Celebration's tub has dropped from 600 grams to 500 grams but has rocketed by 45% in price at Asda, and some other supermarkets.
The makers of Celebrations, Mars Wrigley UK, said the decision to make their tubs smaller was not "taken lightly but it is necessary" to maintain quality and taste.
Quality Street has reduced the size of its boxes and the number of treats inside, but this year two of its chocolates have also shrunk in size.
The purple hazelnut sweet is 12% smaller and the orange one is 4% smaller, but the overall weight of the tub has stayed the same.
Quality Street said these sweets have just become lighter but maintained that their tub weighs the same.
It said: "This means people are still getting the same amount of delicious Quality Street product they know and love – just in a slightly different format."
How to save money on chocolate
We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs...
Go own brand - if you're not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you'll save by going for the supermarket's own brand bars.
Shop around - if you've spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it's cheaper elsewhere.
Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you're getting the best deal.
Look out for yellow stickers - supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they've been reduced.
They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.
Buy bigger bars - most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.
So if you've got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.
CHRISTMAS DINNER SURPRISE
Sweet treats have not been the only supermarket items to be affected as some of the nation's most loved Christmas Dinner products have also been victims of shrinkflation this year.
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Ocean Spray’s cranberry sauces have shrunk the most as its smooth and whole sauces became 20% smaller going from 250 grams to 200 grams.
The manufacturer said: "Rather than increasing prices at shelf like most of the competition, we took the opportunity to resize the jars to the category norm."
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