shadow inflation

American  

[shad-oh in-fley-shuhn] / ˈʃæd oʊ ɪnˈfleɪ ʃən /

noun

Economics Informal.

1. the phenomenon of decreasing quantity or diminishing quality of goods and services compared to a comparable purchase that previously had more value at the same price point.

   Does your favorite restaurant suddenly have smaller portions, cheaper ingredients, or fewer servers, for the same old price? Blame the economy for this shadow inflation.

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Etymology

Origin of shadow inflation

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Some say those moves created shadow inflation for the wealthy, in things such as securities and even art.

From Washington Post