Guides
Shrinkflation in Australia 2026
Smaller pack, same price — and how to catch it with unit pricing.
Updated July 2026 · CheapAsMate price database
Shrinkflation is the practice of reducing a product's pack size while keeping the price the same — delivering an invisible price rise. It's legal, common, and hard to notice without tracking unit prices over time. We do exactly that.
How shrinkflation works
When input costs rise (cocoa, flour, energy), manufacturers face a choice: raise the price (visible, bad for sales) or quietly reduce the pack size (invisible, bad for consumers). Shrinkflation is the second option. A chocolate block shrinks from 200g to 180g. The shelf label updates. Most shoppers don't notice.
The tell is in the unit price. A 200g block at $4.50 = $2.25/100g. A 180g block at $4.50 = $2.50/100g. That's an 11% effective price increase with no change to the sticker price.
What our database tracks
CheapAsMate has tracked 366,000+ products across 10 stores since late 2022. Our database stores canonical name, brand, and size for every product. When a manufacturer changes pack size and the retailer updates the listing, we capture both the old and new entry.
Products with 3+ distinct price points in our database where the max price is more than 15% above the min are candidates for size-or-price review. We use unit price to determine whether the change was a genuine discount, a price increase, or a shrinkflation event.
How to protect yourself
Always check unit price
The $/100g never lies. If it jumped compared to last time, you're paying more per gram.
Compare pack sizes directly
Same brand, different sizes. Search on CheapAsMate to see both side-by-side with unit prices.
Track price history
Our sparkline charts show price over time. A sudden jump on the same SKU signals a price rise.
Check alternatives
Often store-brand equivalents maintain their size when branded products shrink. Compare the unit prices.
The unit price defence
Australia's Unit Pricing Code requires supermarkets to display unit prices on shelf labels. This is your best tool against shrinkflation — the $/100g doesn't care about pack size. If the unit price rises, your effective cost went up regardless of what the "everyday low price" sticker says.
CheapAsMate calculates and displays unit price on every product. If you spot a unit price that seems high compared to what you remember paying, search for the same product to view its price history chart.
Track unit prices over time
Search any product to see its current unit price and full price history chart. Compare sizes side-by-side to spot the best value.
Search productsFrequently asked questions
What is shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is when a manufacturer reduces the size or quantity of a product while keeping the price the same (or raising it). The result is you pay the same for less — an effective price increase disguised as a packaging change.
How can I detect shrinkflation?
The best defence is unit pricing ($/100g, $/L). If the pack size changes but the unit price jumps, that's shrinkflation. CheapAsMate shows unit price on every product card and tracks pack size changes in our database.
Is shrinkflation legal in Australia?
Yes, shrinkflation is legal. Manufacturers are not required to keep pack sizes constant. However, they must accurately display the new weight on packaging, and the updated unit price must be shown on shelf labels. Misleading "same great size" marketing could breach Australian Consumer Law.
Which products are most affected by shrinkflation?
Confectionery, snack foods, cereals, and cleaning products have the most documented cases globally. In Australia, chocolate blocks, biscuit packs, and coffee cans have all had size reductions in recent years.
Data: CheapAsMate tracks 366,781 products across 10 Australian stores. Price history from November 2022. All unit prices calculated from scraped pack size and current price.