Digestive biscuits and butter are among the items that are most hit by shrinkflation, a recent research has shown, which also finds that average unit price of groceries has increased by a staggering 42 per cent over the past 10 years.
Shrinkflation usually involves companies maintaining the same price but reducing the quantity of product in a package. However, in the case of digestive biscuits, the price has actually increased alongside a decrease in quantity.
Among the items that have decreased in size, digestive biscuits have been hit the hardest by shrinkflation, with a 28 per cent decrease in size since 2014. Next up are Choco Pops, which have shrunk by 24 per cent (leading to a unit cost jump of 61 per cent), followed by butter (20 per cent size decrease) and crisps (17 per cent decrease).
Among kitchen staples, the price of a block of butter has gone up by 45p, while the size of the block has also shrunk by 20 per cent, due to which shoppers are actually paying 58 per cent more per unit of butter.
According to research by Compare the Market, unit cost of digestive biscuits (i.e. the cost per 100g) has increased by 129 per cent since 2014, marking the greatest increase of all items on the list. The actual price increase per item for digestive biscuits is 71p, however, they have also decreased in size by 28 per cent over the last decade – meaning Brits are now paying 71p more, but getting 28 per cent less for their money.
As for baked beans, the cost per item has risen by 72p, but the size of a can has remained the same. This translates to a 106 per cent increase in both item and unit price. Tea also makes the list in 19th place. The cost of tea has risen by 81p while the size remains unchanged, meaning an increase of 33 per cent.
Interestingly, not all items we investigated have increased in price – some have actually become cheaper instead. Pasta has seen the biggest price drop of all, costing 20p less now than in 2014. This is a decrease of 21 per cent. Chicken breasts come next, with the cost for two dropping by 35p (-12 per cent). That’s followed by grapes, which now cost 20p less (-10 per cent), and coffee, which costs 29p less per jar (-4 per cent).
The cost of a barbecue has also been increasing over the past decade. In 2014, the average big barbecue haul would have cost around £65, whereas in 2024 it averages £79. Burger buns have experienced the biggest surge in price per unit over the past decade, with an increase of 108 per cent. This is down to a combination of a 25p increase in item price and a 33% decrease in item size, meaning Brits are paying 25p more for a product that’s a third smaller than it was in 2014.
As for the burgers themselves, their unit cost has risen by 80 per cent thanks to a price hike of £1.60 since 2014. Other popular meat items come high on the list, including ribs (with a 57 per cent increase in unit cost) and sausages (44 per cent increase). Even veggie burgers haven't escaped the heat, with a 43 per cent unit price increase.
