What's happened
A recent survey by the Hong Kong Consumer Council reveals significant shrinkflation, with many supermarket products downsized by up to 30% since 2021. The council urges retailers to improve transparency regarding product sizes and prices to help consumers make informed choices.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The South China Morning Post reported on the Consumer Council's findings, noting that 58 out of 62 surveyed products had reduced sizes, with some items shrinking by as much as 30%. Victor Lam Hoi-cheung, chairman of the publicity and community relations committee, emphasized the need for retailers to clearly state volume changes to protect consumers. Meanwhile, The Guardian highlighted Nestlé's trial of a paper container for Quality Street, reflecting a broader industry trend towards sustainable packaging. This juxtaposition illustrates the tension between cost-cutting measures and consumer expectations for transparency and sustainability.
How we got here
Shrinkflation, where product sizes decrease while prices remain the same, has become a growing concern in Hong Kong. The Consumer Council's survey highlights the extent of this issue, prompting calls for greater transparency from retailers.
More on these topics
-
France, officially the French Republic, is a country consisting of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.
-
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea.