CHOICE has uncovered five products from Woolworths, Aldi and Lindt set to be popular this Christmas that have decreased in size while their prices have increased or stayed the same.
"This festive season, chocolates, cakes, and tarts from big brands are among the latest items to shrink in size but increase in price. This is the last thing people want when they set out to stock their pantries for Christmas, particularly during a cost of living crisis," says CHOICE journalist Liam Kennedy.
"CHOICE's latest round of nationally representative research found Australians are already struggling with the cost of food and groceries, with 87% of households worried about how much they're spending at the supermarket," says Kennedy.
The five festive foods hit by shrinkflation:
Woolworths Rocky Road and Salted Caramel tarts
"In the lead up to Christmas 2023, Woolworths was selling its home brand Rocky Road and Salted Caramel tarts in 240 gram and 210 gram packets. However, both products are now only available in 180 gram portions, and their prices have increased from $7.50 to $8," says Kennedy.
"Rocky road fans are now paying 42% more per 100 grams for the tarts than they did last year. Woolworths says the shift to lighter tarts was primarily driven by customer feedback requesting a finer, crispier shell, and that the price increase was due to rising production costs," says Kennedy.
Lindt chocolates
"Lindt chocolates have also been hit by shrinkflation. The company's Christmas Medley Bag shrunk from 414 grams in November last year to 390 grams this year, but the price has remained the same at $36. Meanwhile, Lindt's Limited Edition Champagne Gala Box has become even more limited, dropping from 433 grams for $34 in December 2023, to 396g for $36 in November this year," says Kennedy.
Aldi Christmas cake
"Aldi's Kringle & Co single servings of iced Christmas cake have decreased in size from 100g to 90g, with a 10 cent price increase – up to $2.39 from $2.29. When we reached out to Aldi, it said it understands the move will be unpopular, but didn't explain why the size of the cake had been reduced," says Kennedy.
CHOICE welcomes the government's plan to combat shrinkflation with the changes to the Unit Pricing Code it proposed in October, but is calling for further action to ensure consumers are aware of products affected by shrinkflation.
"Many supporters have shared with us their frustration around the ongoing presence of shrinkflation in supermarkets. Consumers deserve better visibility when a product has shrunk in size, but its price has stayed the same or increased. Placing labels on shelves to notify people when this happens would help everyone make better-informed decisions while shopping," says Kennedy.
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