alt Hacker News> A Mars spokesperson said: "Over the last 35 years, we have made a number of updates to our bar sizes and pack formats to reflect consumer demand, alongside considering wider external factors such as manufacturing costs and the price of cocoa."
I can guarantee you this is not “consumer demand”. Nobody goes to the store thinking “I wish shrinkflation was even more prevalent and that I’d get even less for my money”. Screw you corporate BS PR department, you’re not even trying.
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I suspect shrinkflation happens because, when prices go up, consumers will prefer to buy a similarly priced (but smaller) candy bar rather than a higher priced, same size bar; that is, consumers prefer shrinkflation to price inflation, even if they are the same rise in price-per-gram
To be fair, some customers may prefer portions that are less unhealthy.
It is consumer demand if consumers stop buying the 62.5g bar because prices had to be increased for them to make a profit. If they instead keep the price while lowering the weight and consumers keeps buying how can you say that there was no demand?
> consumer demand
"My Steak Is Too Juicy, My Lobster Is Too Buttery" vibes
Yeah he misspelled "shareholder demand"
Counterpoint - the two major Australian supermarkets both sell in-store “finished” cookies that are like crack. They’re delicious. They come in a pack of 5 for $3.50 but 5 is way too much. I’d gladly pay $1 each for them as a snack while I’m shopping
There are occasions where shrinkflation does make sense. In the Mars case, I’d say there is consumer demand on the health side as well. Yes, a Mars bar is never “healthy” but 40g is less worse than 60g