Shrinkflation eases but manufacturers turn sneaky, watchdog says

Shrinkflation has become less frequent in recent years, according to consumer watchdog Consumentenbond, but manufacturers are becoming increasingly adept at concealing it, the organization has discovered. The group identified numerous products whose contents had reduced in size without a commensurate price decrease, while receiving fewer complaints from customers compared to previous years.

However, a select few producers are now quietly shrinking packages in a manner that goes unnoticed by consumers. A prime illustration is Blue Band Vloeibaar, a liquid baking product, which reduced from 750 to 700 milliliters in March 2026, while the bottle and front label remained unchanged. The new volume is only mentioned in tiny print on the side, and the package is still labeled as a "value bottle."

The suggested price remained at €3.65, leading consumers to pay more per milliliter regardless of the size. Certain products have been downsized multiple times. Andrélon conditioner, for instance, shrank from 300 to 250 and then to 200 ml, with the price rising from €5.49 to €6.49, representing a 48% increase per 100 ml. Another example is a bag of M&M's, which decreased from 440 grams in 2020 to 363 grams, resulting in consumers paying roughly 10% more per 100 grams.

Manufacturers typically attribute these changes to higher costs associated with packaging, raw materials, energy, and transportation. Mars, the maker of M&M's, cited recently updated rules, which they claim could prevent producers from disclosing recommended prices. However, the watchdog argued that, to their knowledge, no such rule change had actually occurred.

Sandra Molenaar, the director of Consumentenbond, urged politicians to take action. "When there's more in a pack, manufacturers shout it from the rooftops," she said, "but when the contents shrink, they only adjust it quietly on the back." She advocated for producers to be required to state reductions clearly on the packaging, or supermarkets to flag these changes prominently on the shelves, as is already mandated in France.