American consumers may not know the details of ingredients, but they taste when the recipe gets changed.
ConAgra, maker of “Smart Balance” vegetable oil, dropped the amount of oil they use in their butter substitute to reduce costs but didn’t make mention of it on their packaging or advertising, nor they reduce their price.
The dropped oil content from 64% to 39%.
People noticed.
And in these socially media driven times started making their voices heard.
Consumer affairs advocate Edgar Dworsky, who had coined the term "shrinkflation, and now calls this "skimpflation," details the changes in his Mouseprint website, as well as including some of the reviews from buyers.
“Horrible horrible horrible!!!! You ruined a perfectly great product that we have used for years and years!!!! And without any notice. Now we’re out of $8…”
“If I wanted to spread water on my toast I would of purchased a cheap margarine…”
“You could have at least printed on the packaging that it was a new formula.”
“Your reformulation of your Smart Balance spreads is a great example of dishonesty in the marketplace. You are adding water to these mixes to lower the manufacturing cost…”
“I’d throw it out if it wasn’t so expensive, but in the meantime maybe I can spread it on our dog’s biscuits….although not sure he would even eat it.”
ConAgra very quickly returned the product to the original recipe.
photo: Getty Images