U.S. President Joe Biden Called on Snack Companies to Halt ‘Shrinkflation’ Ahead of Super Bowl

In a world where the size of products seems to shrink while the prices remain the same, President Joe Biden has stepped up to address this issue, as per CNN . “Shrinkflation,” as it’s commonly known, is a practice where companies reduce the quantity of their products without adjusting the prices accordingly. This trend has been particularly noticeable in items essential for events like the Super Bowl , where snacks play a central role in the festivities.

On Sunday, the U.S. President urged snack companies to cease shrinkflation, calling it ‘a rip-off.’ In a video aired on X , ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, Biden said, “Some companies are trying to pull a fast one by shrinking the products little by little and hoping you won’t notice… Give me a break. The American public is tired of being played for suckers. I’m calling on companies to put a stop to this. Let’s make sure businesses do the right thing now,” he declared.

Inflation has decreased to a three-year low. However, it has been seen that many Americans continue to suffer from excessive costs. They continuously receive less value when purchasing necessities. Moreover, in the months leading up to the 2024 election, Biden has had trouble proving his economic might. Although statistics have shown an overall improvement, many Americans believe that the President ‘s policies have made the nation’s economic situation worse. In a recent CNN poll , most Americans (55%) thought Biden’s initiatives had worsened the nation’s economic situation, while only 26% thought the opposite.

Circling back to the Super Bowl video, it is worth noting that products from Gatorade, Doritos, Breyers, and Tostitos were included. However, Biden did not specifically mention any companies in his monologue. He also presented no policies or solutions for addressing the issue.

However, Consumer Brands Association president and CEO David Chavern stated, “We appreciate that the President has to deflect attention away from inflation that has lingered during his administration.” In addition, Chavern said the group wanted to collaborate with Biden on “real solutions that benefit consumers.”

According to a government report , the size of popular household and grocery goods significantly shrank. It’s the year between January 2019 and October 2023, despite a more than 20% increase in unit pricing. Gatorade bottles now have 12% less liquid, a pack of Double-Stuffed Oreos weighs 6% less, and a Walmart Great Value Ultra Strong paper towel roll has 28% fewer sheets, among other examples.

Since taking office, Biden has advocated for reduced grocery prices. He pressured pharmaceutical companies to drop insulin costs, pushed hotel chains to lower fees, and attempted to diversify the meat-packing sector in response to the sharp spike in beef prices during the pandemic. With fewer than nine months until the 2024 elections, voters’ main concern is the state of the economy. The party affiliation has a big impact on what they think about it.