Pringles hits again at ‘shrinkflation’ claims as Brits fume at favorite snacks

Pringles has hit back over claims its crisps have fallen victim to “shrinkflation”. Fans have alleged its iconic cans are slimming down while prices remain the same in some shops.

A spokesperson for the brand said shoppers might have noticed a slight reduction to its largest tube, from 200g to 185g. But they insisted the change was made more than a year ago and designed to avoid passing on increased production costs.

In one store, customer Michael Smith claimed to have spotted the popular Sour Cream and Onion flavour being sold in two different sizes for the same price. The 63-year-old urged people to beware and check price tags before buying.

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Outraged shoppers took to social media to say they had seen similar things. One user suggested it was a way for stores to “rip people off without looking like they are”.

Pringles aren’t the only snack to allegedly shrink, according to The Sun. Wagon Wheels, the beloved chocolate and marshmallow treat, used to weigh 41g in 2006 but now come in at just 36g. Packs of McVitie’s Digestives have also taken a hit, shrinking from 400g to 360g, the newspaper claimed.

Earlier this month, we reported supermarket-goers had been left devastated by beloved Christmas treats seeing their price hike at the same time as decreasing in size. A box of Celebrations will now cost you as much as £6 for a 550g tub, while Cadbury has also slashed the size of the some of their chocolate bars to keep costs low.

Food giant Kellanova, the company behind Pringles, issued a response to the allegations. A spokesperson said it was all about offering consumers choice.

A spokesperson said: “The Recommended Retail Price is £1.95 for a 165g tube and £2.25 for 185g tube. Over a year ago, we announced that we made a slight reduction to our largest tube from 200g to 185g to avoid passing on production price increases to our customers.

“Pringles are available to buy across a large retail footprint in the UK & Ireland. While we suggest RRPs, final pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.”

Shrinkflation is the word used when product sizes shrink but prices stay the same. There is an entire Reddit community dedicated to the practice, with people furious over the size of everything from vitamin supplements to sleeping pills.

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