The trick of the food companies, the “Snålflaten”, is becoming more and more common in Sweden.
Goods and services are degraded or diluted – without lowering the price.
– It must be difficult for manufacturers who sell such products. Make it difficult by complaining openly, says Daniel Kjellberg, editor-in-chief at Råd och Rön.
The new trend, “flip-flation”, has grown as prices have risen.
– You deteriorate a product in different ways. You might reduce the content of an expensive ingredient, replace an expensive ingredient with a cheaper one or dilute the product, says Daniel Kjellberg.
Affected goods
It’s about getting consumers to pay the same amount but that they get less content home, he says. As an example, he shows a frozen chicken ready meal from the brand Findus with the description “new recipe”. But in fact, it contains less chicken than before.
– This “new recipe” means in this case that the amount of chicken has been reduced. If you turn the package over and read the ingredients list, you will see that the chicken content in this dish is 8.6%. Over 90% therefore contain something other than chicken, says the editor-in-chief.
The same applies to certain detergents that have been diluted with water.
– Anyone who pays attention and usually buys Änglamark’s detergent can see that a 900 milliliter package used to be enough for 30 washes. Today it is enough for 25, Kjellberg continues.
“Sneaky”
But it does not only affect goods in stores, but can also concern services that deteriorate. For example, if the sauna at the gym is closed but the customer pays the same price for their gym card.
– When it comes to food, however, it is much more difficult and trickier. More “sneaky”. That’s why we also call it “sneakflation” right now, says Daniel Kjellberg.
According to Kjellberg, the food companies have several profit tricks that you as a consumer should know in order not to be cheated.
This way you avoid being cheated
The companies’ new profit tricks place higher demands on consumers, who do not want to be cheated, and a lot to keep track of in the stores.
When shopping, you should be careful to turn the packaging over and always look at the content packaging, according to Kjellberg. It is also important to pay attention to comparisons to previous prices and not immediately fall for the lure of a “new recipe”.
It is also important not to let the “thrift fall” continue in silence, Kjellberg believes.
– Do not choose goods that have shrunk or deteriorated. It might pay to complain. Tip editors or write on the companies’ social media pages. Findus has said that they have received so many complaints that they are considering changing the recipe again, he says.
– It must be difficult for manufacturers who sell products like this. Make it difficult by complaining openly. They have big facebook pages so post there so others can see.