shrinkflation

[ shringk-fley-shuhn ]

noun

, Economics Informal.

1. a decrease over time in quantity or in package size compared to the quantity previously sold at the same price point, resulting in a higher cost per unit for the consumer:

   The price is the same and the box looks the same, but because of shrinkflation, you’ll get ten percent less cereal when you open it up.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrinkflation¹

First recorded in 2015–20; shrink ( def ) + (in)flation ( def ); coinage attributed to U.S. entrepreneur and economist Philippa (“Pippa”) Malmgren (born 1962), or U.S. historian Brian Domitrovic (born 1961)