Biden Criticizes Food Companies in the U.S. for Shrinking Product Sizes

On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden urged snack manufacturers to prevent what he described as 'shrinkflation.' The term 'shrinkflation,' a combination of 'shrink' and 'inflation,' is used when companies reduce the size of their products to maintain prices. Price increases can negatively affect sales as consumers notice them more easily, so some companies opt to reduce the size of their products instead, which may be less noticeable. Many consider this practice by companies to be unethical or a form of deception against customers. In a video posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Biden stated, 'Some companies are trying to unfairly profit by gradually shrinking products and hoping you won't notice [the shrinkage].' He added, 'I urge companies to stop this practice. Let's make sure businesses are doing the right thing now.' Although Biden did not name specific brands, several brands including Gatorade, Tostitos, Doritos, and Breyers were shown in the video. This message was broadcast before the Super Bowl, an annual championship game of the National Football League watched by millions of Americans. According to a Reuters report, although the pace of inflation growth in the U.S. appeared to slow last month, 22% of Americans still consider the economy their primary concern. Since taking office, Biden has been working to lower prices for items in stores. He has encouraged pharmacists to reduce insulin costs and chain hotels to lower their prices, and he has sought to diversify the meatpacking industry following a significant rise in beef prices after the COVID pandemic.