Magnums (still) have that shrinking feeling as multipacks are reduced from four ice creams to three – but the £3 price tag doesn’t budge
- Magnum multipacks have gone from four ice creams in a pack to just three
- This is the latest example of shrinkage hitting supermarkets across the UK
Magnum multipacks have been reduced from four ice creams to three – but the £3 price tag doesn’t budge.
This is the latest example of shrinkage, where consumers get less bang for their buck because products have gotten smaller.
The tactic has hit all sorts of items, from chocolate bars to toilet paper rolls, tea bags to ready meals.
Magnums have already suffered such a fate. Last year, the size of chocolate ice cream was reduced from 110ml to 100ml without a corresponding drop in shelf price. Magnum maker Unilever blamed the cuts on soaring ingredient and raw material prices.
The company said it always tries to absorb cost pressures before raising prices or changing product sizes.
Magnums have already suffered such a fate. Last year, the size of chocolate ice cream was reduced from 110ml to 100ml without any corresponding drop in shelf price.
Last weekend, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday revealed the latest shrinking tactics being used by supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, and brands such as Knorr, Shloer and Fanta. A Tesco Finest fish pie with one-sixth less fish went up 50p to £4, while a Shloer drink had 37% less grapes.
Covent Garden’s chicken soup contained 17% less chicken, and the beef in Knorr’s bouillon cubes had been reduced by a quarter, with beef extract replaced with beef fat.
Andrew Opie, from the British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, said retailers were “doing their best to find ways to limit price rises for customers”.
