Yahoo Finance McVitie's has cut the number of Jaffa Cakes in a box - and fans are outraged
Shrinkflation has struck again – and this time, it’s fans of Jaffa Cakes who are suffering.
Lovers of the chocolate treat with an “orangey bit in the middle” will see just 10 cakes in a packet, down from 12. Many shoppers headed to Twitter to express their dismay.
But, while maker’s McVitie’s says it has also cut the price to reflect the change, that does not appear to have been recognised by supermarkets.
MORE: Shrinkflation bites again as famous Walnut Whip becomes the ‘Walnot’ Whip
The cost will – as with approximately 2,500 other confectionery products reduced over the past few years – fall to consumers.
“Pricing is at the sole discretion of retailers,” the company said.
A McVitie’s spokesman added: “As a company, we have taken the decision to adjust the pack size of our McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes products and where we’ve reduced cake count, the RRP has also been reduced proportionately.
MORE: Proof at last: ‘Shrinkflation’ has been making your supermarket favourites smaller for five years
“Our single packs (changing from 12 to 10 cakes) have reduced from an RRP of £1.15 to an RRP of 99p, and our twin packs (changing from 24 to 20 cakes) have reduced from an RRP of £2.19 to an RRP of £1.89.
“There is no change in the size, shape or weight of individual cakes in the McVitie’s Jaffa Cake range.”
A standard box of Jaffa Cakes now contains 122g of cakes, rather than 146.4g, with a recommended price of 99p. They were previously priced at £1.15.
However, Ocado, for example, is selling a 10 box for £1.19, while Asda is selling twin pack box of 20 for £2.19.
Research has shown some 2,500 products have been reduced in size or quantity over the past few years while shoppers have more often than not been expected to pay the same amount or more.
Jaffa cakes are the latest shrinkflation shock. When will it end?! https://t.co/iywPoFwt02
— Colletta Smith (@collettasmith) September 26, 2017
Many manufacturers have blamed Brexit, saying the poor value of sterling against the euro has hit the price of imported raw ingredients.
Most recently, the famous Walnut Whip became the ‘Walnot Whip’ as Nestlé said the price of the key ingredient spiked.
Forget the cake vs biscuit debate. @McVities are shrinking the size of #JaffaCakes – this really takes the biscuit https://t.co/WmOgnipgT1 pic.twitter.com/scFSayXAko
— RedLorry YellowLorry (@RedLorryComms) September 26, 2017
And number of tissues in a Kleenex Balsam box has fallen from 80 to 72 – just in time for the cold and flu season.
Brand owner Kimberly-Clark also reduced Andrex toilet rolls from 221 sheets to 200.
MORE: Toblerone has shrunk the size of its bars and people are outraged
It blamed the rising price of raw material, adding that the cost of “virgin fibre” for tissue paper had risen by 15% to $950 (£750) a ton over the past year.
The Jaffa Cakes news is a further indication of the impact of shrinkflation. Fans of Toblerone were left fuming after maker Mondelez cut the number of little triangle peaks on the unique bars in order to save money.
Mars, too, has pointed to rising costs for its decision to shrink the size of Maltesers packets by 15%.
