Counting the cost of new species of disappearing frog
CADBURY has caused outrage by shrinking the share packet size of popular Freddo frogs from 15 frogs per pack to 12, but leaving the price unchanged.
Consumers will now have to fork out for 144g of frogs rather than 180g — a 20 per cent decrease in chocolate for the same price, with shoppers paying 3.47c per gram, up from 2.78c.
The frogs inside the bags are 12g each, meaning you now pay 41.6c per frog, up from 33.3c per frog.
Supermarket expert Dr Gary Mortimer from the Queensland University of
Technology said Cadbury and other food manufacturers were guilty of “shrinkflation”, a tactic where the product contents reduce, but the price stays the same.
Dr Mortimer said brands such as Cadbury used shrinkflation to keep up with rising costs. “We see it in lollies, in biscuits, in cereal. Cadbury has done it before with their chocolate blocks,” he said.
Cadbury’s marketing director Paul Chatfield said he would have “preferred to avoid” downsizing Freddo packs but they had done so because of production costs. interrupted AFL season travelling between hubs, “we didn’t get to hear a heartbeat or see our babies until there was just one to see”.
“We are very grateful to have another beautiful baby join our family next year and we know that we are fortunate and will cherish what we have but we will also carry broken hearts for the beautiful twin who we will never hold in our arms,” she wrote.
“I know that miscarrying/ vanishing twins are common. But that doesn’t take the hurt away. And I just want to extend my love and my hand to anyone who has or is going through this. You are not alone.”
The couple already has a daughter, Aila, who was born in December 2018.