Photo by Louis Velazquez on Unsplash
Cookie Monster Complains About Shrinkflation, Sparking White House Response
March 6, 2024
Cookie Monster from Sesame Street recently took to X to express his frustration with the troubling trend of “shrinkflation” affecting consumer goods in the U.S. economy. This process, where products shrink in size but not in price, is leaving consumers feeling shortchanged and dissatisfied.
Cookie Monster’s candid post stated, “Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller. Guess me going to have to eat double da cookies!” It ignited a lively discussion online, with many echoing his sentiments.
Politicians like Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown criticized corporations for prioritizing profits over consumer satisfaction. “Big corporations shrink the size of their products without shrinking their prices, all to pay for CEO bonuses,” Brown said. “People in my state of Ohio are fed up — they should get all the cookie they pay for.”
It even prompted the White House to weigh in on X.
According to a report by Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, popular items like OREO Double Stuf Cookies have seen a 6% decrease in size from January 2019 to October 2023. Other essential goods, ranging from cleaning products to frozen foods, have also experienced downsizing, with household paper products bearing the brunt of the shrinkflation phenomenon.
Shrinkflation isn’t a novel concept; it often surfaces during periods of high inflation. Companies opt to reduce product sizes instead of raising prices to maintain profitability, a practice sometimes labeled as “greedflation.”
Despite recent efforts to combat inflation, price increases remain a concern for Americans. While the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates multiple times, inflation hasn’t slowed as much as anticipated. Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledges the public’s frustration with inflation and is expected to address these concerns in upcoming congressional testimony.
In the meantime, consumers like Cookie Monster continue to grapple with the consequences of shrinkflation, hoping for relief in the future. As the debate over consumer rights and corporate responsibility rages on, Cookie Monster’s message serves as a reminder of the everyday challenges faced by Americans in navigating the complex landscape of the economy.
Recent News
Massive Data Breach Hits Ticketmaster, Affecting 560 Million Customers
Ticketmaster has fallen victim to a significant cyber-attack, potentially compromising the data of up to 560 million customers. The breach was confirmed by Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, which revealed that a notorious hacking group, ShinyHunters, is behind the attack. The hackers are demanding a ransom of approximately £400,000 to prevent the data from being sold on the dark web.
Toyota Recalls 100,000+ Tundra and Lexus LX SUVs Over Engine Debris Issue
Toyota has announced a recall for over 100,000 Tundra pickups and Lexus LX SUVs in North America due to potential engine issues caused by machining debris. This recall affects certain 2022-2023 models of the Tundra and LX, which are equipped with the new V6 twin-turbo engine. The V6 twin-turbo engine has faced considerable scrutiny regarding its reliability, especially when compared to the previous naturally aspirated V8 engines.
Wordle and Worldle Battle Over Names
A legal dispute has erupted between the wildly popular word game Wordle and the lesser-known geography game Worldle, centering on the similarity of their names. Wordle, which was developed by Josh Wardle in 2021 and later acquired by the New York Times in 2022 for a substantial sum, has gained immense popularity. In this game, players have six attempts to guess a five-letter word.
FDA Issues Recall for Crecelac Goat Milk Infant Formula
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert regarding Crecelac Goat Milk Infant Formula and other infant formula products imported and distributed by Dairy Manufacturers Inc. The alert highlights Cronobacter contamination concerns with Crecelac Infant Powdered Goat Milk Infant Formula. Although Dairy Manufacturers Inc. initiated a recall on May 24, 2024, due to non-compliance with FDA regulations, new findings of Cronobacter contamination have prompted further action.