How far can shrinkflation go? "Nobody cares about a little less chocolate."

Companies primarily use shrinkflation to cover increased costs. They reduce the volume or quantity of a product to avoid raising the price.

For example, the raw material prices for cocoa and coffee are currently high. This can be a reason for manufacturers to be creative with their products and packaging, retail expert Paul Moers told RTL Z.

Although this sometimes encounters resistance. In Germany, the company behind Milka has been sued for quietly making its chocolate bars smaller while raising the price. The packaging looks the same, but the bar itself is a millimeter thinner. This allegedly wasn't clear to consumers.

The issue is causing considerable frustration among consumers. Last year, the Consumers' Association received 1,800 reports of shrink-flation in products ranging from Ambi Pur air freshener to Mentos Peppermint Balls.

The association believes it is "unfair" that consumers are getting less for more money during shrinkflation, and therefore advocates for manufacturers and retailers to be transparent and indicate when a package suddenly contains less content.

According to experts, consumers ultimately decide how far companies can go with shrinkflation. Companies constantly monitor consumer needs, for example, by monitoring sales figures. "Consumer information is becoming increasingly important and is available in ever-increasing quantities," says supermarket expert Erik Hemmes.

When manufacturers choose to significantly reduce product packaging or content, they risk losing their image, Moers believes. "Consumers will eventually notice."

According to him, the controversy surrounding Lay's potato chip packaging last spring demonstrates that companies can't produce everything. The chips in these packages were about €6 more expensive per kilo. This drew strong criticism from customers. The chip brand has since removed some of the boxes from the shelves.

Gradually reducing packaging contents, as cleaning products brand Dreft and cheese brand Maaslander have done in recent years, only buys time. "If it comes out later, consumers will still feel cheated," says Moers. He believes that companies that resort to these kinds of tricks too often run the risk of losing customers.

Consumers may be looking for alternatives to their favorite products, says Hemmes. He says consumers often have a wide variety of options to choose from. "It all depends on consumer flexibility: how loyal are they to a brand?"

Another form of shrinkflation that's even less noticeable is changing the amount of ingredients or components. This is much harder for consumers to follow. "Nobody notices ten percent less butter, or a little less chocolate on a cookie," says Moers.

Although Hemmes believes that consumers do have a responsibility to be more interested in the prices and content of products.

Companies that prefer to avoid shrinkflation can also cover their costs by seeking out cheaper raw materials for their products, Moers explains. "For premium brands, this is complicated because it can, for example, alter the product's taste. But even if they do find good alternatives, consumers won't notice much difference because they often don't read the ingredients list thoroughly anyway."

Abroad they are often a bit stricter on shrinkage inflation, but here there is little you can do as a consumer other than pay close attention: