Vue ‘shrinks’ sugary drinks at cinemas, yet charges the same

 “Shrinkflation” has hit the cinema as a major chain scraps bucket-sized drinks ahead of the sugar tax.

Vue, the 87-venue cinema chain, has ditched its largest-sized fizzy drinks altogether, and has rebranded its “regular” sized drink “large” – while charging the same price. It has also shrunk its regular and junior-sized drinks by 10oz and 6oz respectively, but confirmed there had been “no reduction in pricing”. The Daily Telegraph visited several London Vue cinemas and found a 32oz sugary or diet soft drink cost an average of £4.40, the same amount as had been previously charged for a 44oz serving.

Mystery shoppers were also told by staff at three cinemas the chain had shrunk the drinks because of the sugar tax, which comes into force in April.

Vue declined to be drawn on whether “shrinkflation” was related to the sugar tax, and said the changes had been made in January as part of a “retail pricing review”.