Product Packaging Transparency: Why What You See Isn’t Always What You Get

Protecting Yourself as a Consumer
You don’t need to become a forensic shopper, but a few habits can help you avoid paying more for less:

Take photos of your regular purchases, including the net weight. Compare them on future shopping trips. Many consumers only notice shrinkflation when they have a concrete reference point.

Download shopping apps that track price and quantity changes over time. Several free options alert you when products change.

Buy in bulk when possible. While unit pricing still matters, larger quantities often escape shrinkflation longer than individual packages.

Support brands that prioritize transparency. Your purchasing power sends a message about what practices you’ll tolerate.

The Legal and Ethical Gray Area
Here’s where things get complicated: most shrinkflation isn’t technically illegal. Companies disclose the net weight as required by law. But legality and ethics don’t always align.

Courts are increasingly being asked to consider whether packaging can be “misleading” even when the required information is present. If a reasonable consumer would be deceived by the overall presentation, does technical compliance matter?

The McCormick case, currently in federal court, may help answer these questions. The outcome could influence how companies approach package redesigns going forward.

What Should Companies Do Differently?