Clever buying in the snack aisle can beat ‘shrinkflation’

FEARS that “shrinkflation” has left shoppers paying more for less are unfounded – at least for some chocolate and biscuits, an investigation found.

A report from the Office of National Statistics last year concluded that more than 2,500 items had reduced in size and increased in price in the last five years. However, the investigation from the BBC found that customers could get better value for money if they knew where to look.

The best deal to beat “shrinkflation” – so called because of the shrinking size of packets as the price remains the same – was a three-pack of Jaffa Cakes, which have not only increased in weight by nearly 6 per cent since 2014, but also decreased in price from £2.35 to £1.55.

Likewise, a bar of Toblerone, which despite having decreased from 200g to 150g (25 per cent) in the past four years, has seen a price drop of nearly 40 per cent, costing £1.50 instead of £2.49.

Of the 19 types of chocolate and biscuits surveyed from Asda, Ocado/ Waitrose, Sainsburys and Tesco, nine (47 per cent) were now cheaper than in 2014.

However, shoppers were warned that the cost of some treats had risen considerably, while at same time shrinking in weight.

Worst was a four-stick Kitkat which had risen from 40p to 60p (50 per cent) since 2014, while becoming seven per cent smaller. A Twin Twix had increased in price by 36 per cent, while a bag of Snickers bites was 49 per cent more today than in 2014, an extra 49p.