McVitie’s Digestives to shrink by seven biscuits per pack and its blaming it on higher costs

PACKS of McVitie's Digestives are to shrink by SEVEN biscuits.

Pladis, the firm which owns McVitie's and Jacob's biscuits, is cutting packets by 100g.

It has blamed the reduction, known as shrinkflation, on rising costs due the fall in the value of Sterling since Britain voted to leave the EU in June 2016.

It means that packs of Digestives will now be 400g rather than 500g - cutting seven biscuits from a pack fo 34.

Smaller packets are due to hit shelves by the end of January.

It has cut the recommend retail price of a pack of biscuits to £1.15, down from £1.25 - although, prices are at the discretion of the retailer.

The firm bakes nearly 700 products in the UK and today's announcement will impact 10 per cent.

The changes will take place over the next three years.

Some packs may get smaller, while other larger ones will be introduced.

Pladis has already cut the number of cakers in a standard box of Jaffa Cakes from 12 to 10.

A standard box now contains 122g instead of 146.4g.

Makers have used the trick, called “shrinkflation”, on 2,500 grocery products in five years.

McVitie’s admitted “adjusting” Jaffa Cake packs but said it also cut its recommended price.

While Toblerone fans were outraged in late 2016 when its maker Mondelez announced it was reducing the amount of chocolate by increasing the gap between triangles. 

Nick Bunker, managing director for Pladis, said: “The rising cost of ingredients and changes in the exchange rates means it has become more expensive to bake our biscuits.

We work hard to drive efficiencies throughout our business to absorb cost increases, but occasionally, like many other businesses in these challenging times, we do need to make some adjustments.

“We’re announcing this now, before they come fully into effect, because we want to be completely open and transparent with our customers and consumers.”

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