Stretchflation: what is this new technique used by manufacturers to increase prices?

Reducing the quantity of a product sold at the same price, changing the recipe of a product with less expensive and lower quality ingredients… On the supermarket shelves, food manufacturers are competing with each other to get around the customer attention. A new technique has been appearing on the shelves for several months.

Stretchflation comes from the combination of the English verb “stretch” and inflation. Unlike shrinkflation, it consists of increasing the weight of a product while at the same time significantly increasing the price. In other words, the price per kilo jumps and the consumer does not notice it because the manufacturer is selling a heavier package. “It’s well presented, so that you don’t notice anything”underlines a customer met by TF1.

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“Increase in the cost of raw materials”

Olivier Dauvers, journalist specializing in mass distribution, gives several examples on his blog (new window). A box of four McCain brand Bun's, sold for 2.93 euros, initially weighs 400 grams (7.33 euros per kilo). A few days later, it jumped to 3.99 euros for 460 grams (8.67 euros per kilo). For their part, Monaco Emmental aperitif cakes from the Belin brand increase from 100 to 110 grams, while the price of the box increases from 1 to 1.29 euros.

To our colleagues at Le Figaro (new window)the McCain group responds that it must face inflation: “Like other industrial players, we have faced an increase in the cost of raw materials, production and distribution which we have had to reflect in our products while ensuring that the evolution of the 2024 tariff on our Bun's product remains proportional to the increase in weight.” The group reminds that it does not decide alone: “The final price to the consumer in store remains at the sole discretion of the distributor.”

Problem is, the technique turns out to be misleading for the consumer. If Belin indicates the change in weight on the package, he adds the words “More crackers – New Format”. “Enough to distract the customer’s attention,” concludes Olivier Dauvers.

As a reminder, since July 1, supermarkets of more than 400 square meters must inform consumers of products whose quantity is decreasing (new window) and which remain sold at the same or higher price. Consumer associations are calling for the initiative to apply to stretchflation.