½´¸µÅ©Ç÷¹À̼Ç(Shrinkflation)
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¹°°¡»ó½ÂÀ» ÀǹÌÇÏ´Â ÀÎÇ÷¹À̼Ç(inflation)ÀÇ ÇÕ¼º¾îÀÔ´Ï´Ù´Ù.
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½´¸µÅ©Ç÷¹À̼Ç(Shrinkflation)
Referred to as shrinkflation, a portmanteau of the words shrink and inflation, this term describes cases where companies opt to decrease the quantity of a product while maintaining the previous product's price, to avoid significant consumer pushback against a price increase.
'Shrinkflation' – reducing a product's size or quantity while keeping its price stable – is rampant. As the global economy grapples with issues including rising raw material costs, supply chain backlogs and higher post-pandemic labourer wages, consumers are bearing the brunt of spiking production expenses.
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As the government attempts to stabilize consumer prices by exerting pressure on the food industry, there's an emerging trend where businesses maintain the same prices for their products but reduce their physical size.
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SKIMPFLATION
In simple terms, skimpflation refers to when manufacturers continue to release the same food products, but start making them with cheaper ingredients than before in a bid to cut costs.
An example of this might be manufacturers using less paper pulp in toilet roll, or cheaper flour to make their spaghetti.
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Grocery aisles are also rife with skimpflation. Along with shrinking size and quantity of products, food manufacturers are applying skimpflation to the quality of goods to reduce costs. Often, this includes swapping out expensive, premium ingredients for cheaper, lower-quality ones while keeping the same price tags, or even raising them. To save money, for instance, Balagtas says some ice cream manufacturers have reduced some of the expensive milkfat in their products, instead replacing them with "other ingredients, including water and other components of milk, but also sweeteners", says Balagtas.
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Not all hope is lost for better quality and service, however. Competition – especially in industries where higher standards are more observable and essential – means "a market for quality will exist", says Balagtas. Simply, some companies will choose to provide higher quality than their competitors to stand out.
Yet consumers still may need to make a concession: higher quality options might come with higher prices.
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