Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

More shoppers noticing ‘shrinkflation’, ‘drinkflation’

More shoppers noticing ‘shrinkflation’, ‘drinkflation’
iStock image
Getty Images

More than a fifth of Britons had noticed the lower strength of their beer under what is being termed as "drinkflation", states a recent report by Barclays.

More than one in five Brits (22 per cent) said they have noticed that some of the alcoholic drinks they buy – such as beers, spirits and tinned cocktails – have become weaker or contain less alcohol, yet still cost the same or more than they used to, otherwise known as ‘drinkflation’.


“With value for money still a major concern, consumers are spotting signs of drinkflation- shrinkflation on alcoholic drinks," Esme Harwood said. "This could be due to manufacturers making changes to their products ahead of the recent changes to alcohol duty, which mean that drinks are now taxed according to strength rather than type.”

Harwood's comments are the part of recent Barclay report which states that consumer card spending in supermarkets rose considerably less in July (5.2 per cent) than in June (9.8 per cent), as the rate of food price inflation continued to slow after peaking in March.

A slightly higher proportion of Brits had noticed examples of ‘shrinkflation’ in July (73 per cent) compared to June (70 per cent), with chocolate (56 per cent), crisps (49 per cent) and packets of biscuits (46 per cent) remaining the products most frequently cited as being impacted by this growing trend. As a result, a fifth (21 per cent) of the shoppers who have noticed signs of shrinkflation are switching to brands which haven’t changed the size of their products.

However, concern around rising food prices remains high at 91 per cent, leading seven in 10 (70 per cent) shoppers to look for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop – the highest percentage so far this year, the data shows.

Of these value-seeking Brits, 13 per cent said they are having to remove some items at the checkout to avoid going over budget.

To help save money, more than a third (35 per cent) said they are buying items in bulk because they cost less in the long-term, and four in 10 (41 per cent) are shopping at multiple stores to source a range of deals. Concerns around food prices and the rising cost of living are also impacting economic confidence as just one-in-five (21 per cent) report feeling confident in the strength of the UK economy, down 2 per cent month-on-month in July.

More for you

consumer cheer
iStock image
iStock image

Consumers cheer up as Budget nerves lift: GfK

British consumers have turned less pessimistic following the government's first budget and the US presidential election and they are showing more appetite for spending in the run-up to Christmas, according to a new survey.

The GfK Consumer Confidence Index, the longest-running measure of British consumer sentiment, rose to -18 in November, its highest since August and up from -21 in October which was its lowest since March.

Keep ReadingShow less
Retail Sales
Photo: iStock

Retail sales take bigger-than-expected hit in October

British retail sales fell by much more than expected in October, according to official data that added to other signs of a loss of momentum in the economy in the run-up to the first budget of prime minister Keir Starmer's new government.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales volumes have fallen by 0.7 per cent in October. A Reuters poll of economists had forecast a monthly fall of 0.3 per cent in sales volumes from September.

Keep ReadingShow less
Freight crime cost over £680 million

iStock image

Freight crime cost over £680 million

Freight-related crime cost the UK economy an estimated £680-700 million in 2023, when accounting for lost revenues, VAT, and insurance costs, revealed a recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics.

The study, funded by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), documented 5,370 reported incidents of HGV and cargo crime across the UK last year, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. Experts suggest that the actual figures could be significantly higher due to under-reporting. The direct value of stolen goods reached £68.3 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
 a glass jar of honey
Photo: iStock

British beekeepers urge retailers to stock local honey as imported products fail authenticity test

British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), which represents hobbyist beekeepers, has urged retailers to stock local honey, after a new research raised significant questions about the composition of blended honey samples imported to the UK and sold at supermarkets.

In a recent authenticity test, 96 per cent of samples of imported honey from supermarkets were found to be ‘atypical’ for honey, compared to 100 per cent of UK beekeeper samples that were deemed ‘typical’.

Keep ReadingShow less