Beloved “Sesame Street” character Cookie Monster recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration with the practice of “shrinkflation,” where companies decrease the size of their products while keeping prices unchanged.
In a tweet to his 626,000 followers, Cookie Monster expressed his dismay, stating, “Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller.” The sentiment garnered attention from the White House, which responded with a tweet of its own, stating, “C is for consumers getting ripped off.”
President Joe Biden also addressed the issue during a White House event, standing alongside Cookie Monster and criticizing profit-driven food companies for reducing product sizes while maintaining prices.
“I’ll tell you what, I tell you who did notice, Cookie Monster,” Biden said. “He pointed out cookies, or his cookies are getting smaller, paying the same price. I was stunned when I found out that’s what actually happened.”
The issue of shrinkflation has become increasingly common as companies seek ways to maintain their profit margins amid rising costs. By reducing the size of their products, companies can sidestep directly raising prices, which may be unpopular with consumers. However, critics argue that shrinkflation is a form of deceptive pricing that ultimately disadvantages consumers.
Cookie Monster’s vocal criticism of shrinkflation has drawn attention to the issue, underscoring the impact it can have on everyday consumers.