I'm coining a new term right here and now: shapeflation
We all know inflation all too well. Since COVID especially, we've been hearing the spinoff term shrinkflation...keep the price the same, just shrink the size of the product.
Well, here's a variation of shrinkflation. "Shapeflation" is essentially shrinkflation, but with the bonus of an added deception: the product LOOKS the same, although it's physicalled altered to be smaller.
Case studies:
A gallon up milk goes up in price by $1. That's good ol' inflation.
A candy bar might cost $2 and weigh about 44 grams. A producer might downsize the bar to only 40 grams, but the price stays at $2. That's shrinkflation.
A bag of chips can be the same size physiclaly on the shelf that we're accustomed to, and the price can remain the same. But, the producer can simply add fewer chips and more air in the top of the bag. That's instant shrinkflation and is close to shapeflation, but not exactly. The SHAPE of the bag is actually unchanged...it's still a rectangle. It's close to shapeflation in that it does use deception...it fools you into thinking that the rectangular bag is the same as before. But, here's true shapeflation...
Shapeflation physically changes the shape of the product's container to effect the inflation. Consider a bowl of salad from a favorite, clown-themed fast food chain. The salad bowl is shaped like below. It is wide at the top and very narrow at the bottom...it is funnel-shaped. The effect is that, when the salad is viewed from above, that is, when it's viewed in the display or when it's served, it LOOKS like a nice-sized salad. However, after eating the top "layer", the salad goes down very, very fast. There's not much underneath. The price has stayed the same for that nice-sized salad, but the portion is diminished. Shapeflation.
Other sneaky versions of shapeflation: Keeping the front of the product the same size and shape, but making the container very thin. This is like a skinny box of cereal. In this way, it LOOKS the same on the shelf in the grocery...until you grab it...shapeflation. Or, the handy "grip" indentations on bottles for "convenience." Those indentations are nice to grip a large product, but they're also reducing the quantity of that product. I'm sure the price didn't drop along with that smaller quantity inside...shapeflation.
The overall result of shapeflation is something like deadweight loss, not exactly the same technically and economically, but similar. It is a loss of economic efficiency by deception that undercuts consumers' decision-making. Sneaky sneaky and stinky stinky.
I wrote this last month but wanted to chronicle it here so it doesn't get lost in internet space. Original post: https://stacker.news/items/1012289