Supermarket giant Tesco has been found to be reducing the size of its ready meals while keeping prices the same or even increasing them in some cases. Data from research company Assosia has revealed the examples of 'shrinkflation' - where products reduce in size but don't get cheaper.
The details were first published by trade magazine The Grocer and examples included a sweet potato red Thai curry and jasmine rice. The meal had shrunk from 450g to 400g, yet the price had risen from £2.75 to £2.80.
Cottage pie, meanwhile, had dropped from 800g to 750g. Its price stayed the same at £3.50. Tesco is not alone in making the changes, reports the Mirror.
Earlier this year Morrisons cut its own brand curry range, reducing the weight by 50g and upping the price by 74p. Similarly, laundry products such as Fairy, Bold and Lenor have all been cut down in size, according to The Grocer.
Manufacturer Mars cited "rising costs of raw materials and operations" when it controversially shrank the size of a Maltesers sharing bag and Twix multipack, the publication reported.
Few outlets have been unaffected, even McDonald’s has increased the price of its products for the first time in 14 years. The fast food chain’s CEO confirmed that breakfasts, value meals and McFlurries were all expected to go up in price in the coming weeks.
Greggs has also warned customers that prices will go up this year, calling a rise "inescapable". These measures will likely continue to occur as inflation, which is at a 40-year-high of 9.4%, carries on growing.
In a bid to cool soaring inflation, the Bank of England has raised interest rates again this afternoon, with it confirming its biggest rise in almost 30 years. The central bank has increased its base rate from 1.25% to 1.75%.
Earlier this week the Resolution Foundation think tank warned inflation could hit 15% early next year in further misery for households. The theory being raising interest rates, is that households will spend less and this should mean inflation will drop.
The Mirror has contacted Tesco for a response.
