By Lois E .Wilson
I recently wrote a column about our expanding language. The latest word I hear in a lot of discussions on TV is “shrinkflation.” I thought it was a portmanteau of the words shrink and inflation, and it is. It was not in any of my dictionaries. I supposed my slang dictionary might have defined it as created from the two words meaning “psychiatrist and egotist.”.”
Since it’s combined from the words shrink and inflation, I believe it is also an oxymoron made up of words with opposite meanings—like Jumbo Shrimp on the menu.
Shrinkflation comes from the economic field. It first appeared in writings early in this century. Wikipedia defines it as “the process of items shrinking in size or quantity, or sometimes even reformulating or reducing quality while prices remain the same or increase.”
This shrinking of sizes and amounts has been a gripe of mine. Over the years, I have written poems about it: “Not by Any Measure” and “Mathemagic” describe this sleight of hand. You wonder—less is more, for whom? My word didn’t catch on—so I’ll adopt shrinkflation.
I’m sure a few of us have tried an old recipe in which the products needed to fulfill its requirements no longer exist in the original measure. You probably have to buy more to do so.
Many companies are doing shrinkflation as a result of losses during the pandemic shutdowns. Some have done it regularly to increase profits.
In the 80’s some decreased the amount of coffee in one lb. bags to 400g or smaller. A well-known tea company reduced the number of tea bags in a box from 100 to 88. In 2009 Haagen-Dazs announced a decrease in the contents of their ice cream cartons. Paper products such as toilet paper and facial tissues have also been adjusted to fit companies’ goals.
A consumer proposed a “buyer’s strike.” I’m not very inclined to do that. As I see events in the future, inflation is likely to spread to many more products and entertainment activities. We don’t want to create more problems.
It is wise to become better shoppers—to know what is happening. We should consider our needs, our products, and our budget. Does inflation require us to adjust or ration any of these? It is our challenge to be responsible consumers.
Aside from products, the pandemic helped us to prioritize things in our lives. When we do, often we find less is more. However, when it comes to those we care about—don’t shrink your love or ration it—inflate it! To all you Dads—Happy Father’s Day!