Supermarket shoppers have been raging after spotting a major alteration to a classic Christmas favourite. Many customers are so disgruntled they’ve labelled the change a “disappointment”.
The uproar kicked off when Jacqui posted a picture in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group from her local Tesco branch. Aiming to be helpful to other deal hunters, she pinpointed a promotional display of festive chocolate assortments.
Celebrations, Heroes, Quality Street, and Roses – each container brimming with the miniature chocolates we all indulge in come December – featured in the offer. These were marked down from the usual £6 to a more reasonable £3.95 for those who swipe their Clubcard at the till.
But it didn’t take long for consumers to spot a notable difference in the products. It’s not new though, and people have made the same complaint year after year, reports the Mirror.
While some were thankful, tagging relatives and friends to grab a bargain in preparation for the seasonal surge, many aired their thoughts that the tubs had been cut down in size. One complained: “It used to be a celebration buying them but the size is much smaller now. A disappointment!”
Another said: “Wow look how small they are! Better off buying multi packs of chocolates and making your own chocolate hamper instead!” Someone else wrote: “This has me raging. How dare they take chocolate away from us – at Christmas!”
Another frustrated shopper wrote: “The Celebrations tin looks like frisbees, ridiculous sizes nowadays! Shrink the size and increase the price! I’m an 80s baby and remember the large glass Rose’s Bottles and big metal Quality Street tins. They put these to shame!”
Experts from the University of Birmingham weighed in on why this phenomenon, known as ‘shrinkflation’, is increasingly common with our favourite chocolate selections. A spokesperson from the University pointed out: “Once again, shrinkflation strikes and this time it is our chocolates in its sights.
“This year some tubs are reported to be reduced from 600g to 550g. Shrinkflation is when we see pack sizes getting smaller but prices remain the same or even increase.
“Over the last couple of years with the cost of living crisis we have all felt the effects of spiralling prices at the supermarket. Retailers and manufacturers have not been immune from rising costs and shrinkflation has been one tactic to try and manage this.
“There is a perception by the customer that the product is the same price, but a reduced pack size means that the product change is concealed and less immediately apparent.”
Last Christmas, The Mirror put this ‘shrinkflation’ to the test and found the true amount Quality Street, Celebrations and Roses have shrunk over the years. Most importantly, they found how it impacts your overall chocolate count.
The reduction in size was noticed as early as July, according to a report by The Grocer, which discovered that the packaging would be shrinking by 50g, equivalent to five fewer sweets. When questioned by The Grocer, a representative for Mars Wrigley revealed that the company had “been actively trying to find ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations”.
They further stated: “Reducing the size of our products is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favourite Celebrations treats without compromising on quality or taste.”
Alongside reducing the number of sweets, Mars Wrigley has also downsized the tub itself “to reduce the plastic used in the packaging by 17%”, confirmed the spokeswoman.