A recent article in The Guardian explained how Galaxy chocolate bars are now 10% smaller but priced the same as before, a strategy pundits have dubbed "shrinkflation" because in the end the result is the same as raising prices: less purchasing power for the consumer. The article reminded me of an issue that came up with a recipe I was making, where smaller product sizing came close to ruining the dish.

The recipe called for a certain amount of yogurt, which I knew from experience equaled one small container. However, when I mixed everything together the consistency didn't seem right. After making sure I hadn't omitted an ingredient, I took a look at the yogurt container and realized that from the time I first made the recipe to the present, the amount in the packaged had shrunk by over 1.5 ounces. It was just enough to cause a noticeable difference in the cake batter, although probably not enough to create a catastrophe. I was able to add more yogurt from another container so the cake turned out exactly as it should, but it did prompt me to look more closely at some of the other ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry.

Some differences were slight - canned items that used to be 14 ounces were now 13.2 ounces - while others were a bit more noticeable. Some brands of boxed breakfast cereal have reduced the net weight by nearly 15 percent. A website called Mouse Print has tracked shrinkflation on several items ranging from boxed cake mix to laundry detergent to pet food. The site also revealed an even sneakier way companies cut costs: a popular brand name of bottled salad dressing literally watered down its product, reducing the amount of vegetable oil and making up the difference with salt and water.

Almost all of the recipes I use provide weight measurements instead of calling for a can of this or that, which makes it easier to ensure that I am using the appropriate quantity. If I'm not careful, however, I might not buy enough of the product because what used to take a single container might now take two - and then I'll have leftovers to deal with, meaning more potential for waste.

When the price of raw ingredients goes up, it's difficult to blame companies for making these changes because consumers are more sensitive to price than almost anything else. I try not to let price be the sole factor in what I buy, agreeing with a quote attributed to 19th century poet and philospher John Ruskin (although it does not appear in his published works): "There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey."

In recent months, commodity prices have stabilized, so continued package downsizing seems to be more about squeezing extra profit from already overburdened consumers than about passing on legitimate cost increases. As long as people keep buying, however, there is no incentive for companies to stop. I will be keeping an eye on the fine print when shopping to avoid as much "shrinkflation" as possible.