Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Shrinkflation

2025-08-16T12:55:33Z

Paperclip: Minor changes to wording

==Shrinkflation==

'''Shrinkflation''' (from “shrink” + “inflation”; Dutch: ''krimpflatie'') is a corporate strategy where manufacturers reduce the volume or quantity of a product while maintaining the same or higher price. The packaging often remains unchanged, making the reduction nearly imperceptible to consumers.

The term is related to '''skimpflation''', where the ''quality'' of a product or service is reduced instead of its size or weight, without a corresponding drop in price. Both practices are considered forms of “hidden inflation” that affect consumer purchasing power.<ref name="NPR">{{cite news |last=Garcia |first=Adrian Ma and Darian Woods |title=Skimpflation is hitting your favorite services |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/19/1047035078/skimpflation-services-prices |work=NPR |date=19 October 2021 |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>

==Definition and concept==
Shrinkflation occurs when a product’s packaging remains the same—or only slightly altered—but contains less product, without a corresponding drop in price. This makes the reduction less noticeable to consumers, effectively increasing the unit price.<ref name="Consumentenbond2025">{{cite web |title=Krimpflatie op krimpflatie: inhoud verpakkingen stapsgewijs steeds kleiner |url=https://www.consumentenbond.nl/acties-claims/nieuws/2025/krimpflatie |website=Consumentenbond |publisher=Consumentenbond |date=7 February 2025 |access-date=14 August 2025 |language=nl}}</ref>

==Historical context==
The concept of shrinkflation predates the term itself. Economists have documented cases as early as the 1970s, particularly during periods of high inflation when companies sought to avoid explicit price hikes.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gale |first=William G. |title=The Economic Effects of Inflation |publisher=Brookings Institution Press |year=1975 |isbn=9780815730411}}</ref>

The term '''shrinkflation''' gained popularity in the early 2010s, attributed to British economist Pippa Malmgren, who used it to describe hidden inflation in consumer goods.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shrinkflation is real – here’s why everything is getting smaller |url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/nov/07/shrinkflation-real-smaller-packet-prices-inflation |work=The Guardian |date=7 November 2017 |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>

'''Skimpflation''' is a more recent term, first gaining widespread usage in the early 2020s. It emerged after the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and inflation prompted businesses to maintain prices but cut back on service quality or product standards.<ref name="NPR" />

In both cases, periods of economic stress and high inflation tend to accelerate the use of these strategies, as seen during the global inflation spike of 2021–2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shrinkflation and skimpflation: How inflation is reshaping consumer value |url=https://www.oecd.org/economy/shrinkflation-and-skimpflation.htm |publisher=OECD |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>

==Prevalence and examples==
In the Netherlands, the Consumentenbond (Consumers’ Association) has documented numerous cases of shrinkflation:<ref name="Consumentenbond2025" />

*'''Maaslander aged cheese''': Reduced from 200 g to 175 g, then to 150 g in 2023, and further to 140 g in late 2024, with prices remaining stable.
*'''Ariel washcapsules''': Fell from 14 capsules in 2020 to 10 capsules in 2025.
*'''Snack a Jacks Barbecue Paprika rice cakes''': Declined from 145 g to about 103 g over several years.

These incremental reductions (“shrink upon shrink”) often go unnoticed by consumers.

==Consumer response and complaints==
In 2024, the Consumentenbond’s ''Meldpunt Eerlijk'' (Fair Complaints Line) received about '''250 reports''' related to shrinkflation.<ref name="Consumentenbond2025" /> Although fewer than in previous years, this may reflect that most content reductions had already been implemented or were subtle enough to escape attention.

==Industry reaction==
Manufacturers often state that retailers set prices, while they only recommend retail pricing. Some claim reductions result from product improvements or changing consumer needs—a rationale the Consumentenbond rejects.<ref name="Consumentenbond2025" />

==Consumer protection efforts==
The Consumentenbond has called for:<ref name="Consumentenbond2025" />

#'''Clear labeling''' when content is reduced.
#'''Public tracking''' of shrinkflation examples.
#'''Legal action''' against deceptive practices, potentially leading to fines of up to €900,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Consumentenbond wil krimpflatie bij de rechter aanpakken |url=https://www.rtl.nl/nieuws/rtl-z/artikel/5414904/consumentenbond-wil-krimpflatie-bij-de-rechter-aanpakken |work=RTL Z |date=18 October 2023 |access-date=14 August 2025 |language=nl}}</ref>
#'''Engagement with industry''' to promote transparency, though supermarket chains and manufacturers have resisted mandatory disclosures.

==Related phenomena==
'''Skimpflation''' occurs when companies lower the quality of goods or services rather than the size or weight, while keeping prices unchanged or even increasing them.<ref name="NPR" /> Examples include cheaper ingredients in food products, reduced customer service staffing, or less frequent cleaning in hotels. Like shrinkflation, skimpflation effectively reduces consumer value without an obvious price change.

==International comparisons==
In France, Carrefour labels products whose contents have been reduced without a price drop.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carrefour warns shoppers over shrinkflation |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66760551 |work=BBC News |date=8 September 2023 |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref> Consumer organizations in other countries, such as the UK and the US, have also raised awareness about shrinkflation and skimpflation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shrinkflation and skimpflation: Are we getting less for our money? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/15/business/shrinkflation-skimpflation-prices |work=CNN Business |date=15 July 2023 |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>
<references />

AirPods

2025-08-16T12:46:20Z

Paperclip: A few minor tweaks

{{StubNotice}}{{InfoboxProductLine
| Title = AirPods
| Release Year = 2016-12-13
| Product Type = Wireless earbuds
| In Production = Yes
| Official Website = https://apple.com/airpods
| Logo = AirPods logo.png
}}AirPods are wireless earbuds designed by [[Apple]]. They first debuted on September 07, 2016, alongside the iPhone 7, and were released on December 13, 2016.

In addition to playing audio, the AirPods contain a microphone that filters out background noise as well as built-in accelerometers and optical sensors capable of detecting taps and pinches (e.g. double-tap or pinch to pause audio) and placement within the ear, which enables automatic pausing of audio when they are taken out of the ear.

On March 20, 2019, Apple released the second-generation AirPods, which feature the H1 chip, longer talk time, and hands-free "Hey Siri" support. A higher-end version includes a charging case that supports Qi charging.

On October 26, 2021, Apple released the third-generation AirPods, which feature an external redesign with shorter stems similar to AirPods Pro, spatial audio, IPX4 water resistance, longer battery life, and MagSafe charging capability.

On September 9, 2024, Apple announced the AirPods 4, which feature the H2 chip, Bluetooth 5.3, and a USB-C charging case. A higher end model features active noise cancellation and a charging case that supports Qi and Apple Watch chargers.{{Placeholder box|Add a 2-3 sentence introduction starting with "'''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a ...<ref name":0">ref goes here</ref>". When writing the article, insert text in the space below this box, and then delete this tip box (and the other tip boxes below). In the visual editor, just click on a box and press backspace to delete it. In the source editor, simply delete the double curly brackets, and the text inside them.}}

==Consumer impact summary==
AirPods are designed to be unrepairable even by Apple, leading to them ending up as e-waste after a few years of use. The replacement of the lithium-ion batteries used by the AirPods requires the destruction of the outer casing, adding to the waste problem. Up until September 22, 2023, Apple used their proprietary Lightning connector on the AirPods' charging case.

The lithium-ion batteries in AirPods can see significant degradation over time, with two-year-old sets lasting for less than half of the advertised five hours. Apple has a program to service batteries and purchase replacement individual AirPods and charging cases. The replacement of one or both AirPods or the charging case has a lower price with AppleCare+ than without. Apple offers battery servicing for free with AppleCare+ and for a fee without. However, this is just a replacement service, as AirPods cannot be repaired without destroying their outer case, resulting in a 0/10 repairability score
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of products part of the product line.

Touch on relevant topics like:
* User Freedom
* User Privacy
* Business Model
* Market Control}}

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product line. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
{{Placeholder box|Replace the placeholder text in the sections below with the incidents that affect this product line and a short summary. Also replace the link so it point to the right company article.}}

===Example incident one (''date'')===
{{Main|link to the main article}}Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).

===Example incident two (''date'')===
...

Incidents affecting all of the company's products can be found in the company article: [[Company article]]

==Products==

*AirPods (1st generation) (December 13, 2016)
*AirPods (2nd generation) (March 20, 2019)
*AirPods Pro (1st generation) (October 30, 2019)
*AirPods Max (December 15, 2020)
*AirPods (3rd generation) (October 26, 2021)
*AirPods Pro 2 (previously 2nd generation) (September 23, 2022)
*AirPods 4/ANC (September 20, 2024)
{{Placeholder box|This is a list of the products with articles on this wiki.
* [[Example product one]] (release date): Short summary of the product's incidents.
* [[Example product two]] (release date):}}

==See also==
{{Placeholder box|Link to relevant theme articles or product lines with similar incidents.}}

==References==
---. “Every Apple AirPods Generation: A Full History of Release Dates - IGN.” ''IGN'', 2 Mar. 2025, www.ign.com/articles/all-apple-airpods-release-dates-in-order.
<references />

Collective Shout

2025-08-16T04:19:43Z

Paperclip: Neutralized some negative wording and fixed some grammatical errors

{{ToneWarning}}
{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Collective Shout
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2009
| Industry = Lobbying, Activism
| Official Website = https://www.collectiveshout.org/
| Logo = Collective-shout-logo.png
}}

Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009. They identify themselves as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls in media, advertising and popular culture''".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Collective Shout |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/faq |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250720102043/https://www.collectiveshout.org/faq |archive-date=2025-07-20 |access-date=2025-08-07 |work=Collective Shout}}</ref>

The activist group became prominent in 2025 after their campaign against payment processors to cause [[Steam]] and [[Itch.io]] to delist hundreds of games, claiming that the games sexualise women.<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Taylor|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/mastercard-visa-backlash-adult-games-removed-online-stores-steam-itchio-ntwnfb|title=Mastercard and Visa face backlash after hundreds of adult games removed from online stores Steam and Itch.io|website=The Guardian|date=2025-07-28}}</ref> This action also affected countries outside of Australia.

Collective Shout has been criticized by some for what many see as a push towards censorship and their usage of unconventional methods.

==Incidents==

===Protest against ''Grand Theft Auto V''===

In 2014, the group protested the game ''Grand Theft Auto V'', stating that the game encouraged players to murder women for entertainment.<ref name="RPSCS" /> The game was later banned from Australian stores that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30328314|title='Sexually violent' GTA 5 banned from Australian stores|website=BBC|date=2014-12-04}}</ref>

===Pressure campaign against payment processors===
''Main artice: [[Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam|Valve complying with ISPs and payment processors]]''

In July 2025, Collective Shout launched a public campaign "demanding credit card companies and PayPal block payments" for games on sites like Steam and Itch.io.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Bita |first=Natasha |date=15 July 2025 |title=Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/child-safety-group-finds-500-online-games-roleplaying-rape-and-incest/news-story/b30c59f85ff22934844269cb3beff538 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/koDk8 |archive-date=18 July 2025 |access-date=18 July 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 July 2025 |title=Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |access-date=23 July 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref>

Itch.io responded by de-indexing NSFW content on July 24.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content|title=Update on NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-24}}</ref> Itch.io re-indexed free NSFW content on July 31.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content|title=Reindexing adult NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-31}}</ref>

They claim to have lobbied payment processors after sending 3,000 emails to Steam and receiving no response.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam at Collective Shout |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/tags/steam |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250720103220/https://www.collectiveshout.org/tags/steam |archive-date=2025-07-20 |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref><ref name="CBCCards">{{Cite news |last=Ore |first=Jonathan |date=31 July 2025 |title=How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/steam-itch-takedowns-credit-cards-1.7597563 |access-date=1 August 2025 |work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]}}</ref>

Alongside NSFW content they also wanted to get games like 'Detroit Become Human' and 'Mouthwashing' gone from the gaming platforms. Mainly for 'violence against women', which in the case of 'Detroit Become Human' was to show how horrible domestic abuse actually is for the people in the situation and to bring awareness to that happening in our society.

They have also taken down various petitions opposing them.

Despite this, they defended the Netflix movie 'Cuties,' claiming it "Empowered children."{{Citation needed}}

==See also==

*[[Steam]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Pro-consumer articles]]