A new monthly report flags grocery products for shrinking packages. A Milky Way multipack shrank from nine bars to five. That works out to a 38 percent price increase per bar.
Ritter Sport and Teekanne cut package sizes too this month. Both kept prices close to their old level.
| Product | Before | After | Effective price change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milky Way multipack | 9 bars for €2.99 | 5 bars for €2.29 | +38% per bar |
| Ritter Sport Edelkakao | 100g for €2.29 | 75g for €2.29 | +33% per gram |
| Teekanne fennel tea | 60g for €2.19 | 40g for €2.19 | +50% per gram |
The new Ritter Sport bar is also thinner: 9 millimeters instead of 12. Raw cocoa prices fell over the past year.
Why the unit price matters
German shops must show the unit price (Grundpreis) next to the shelf price. The rule comes from a regulation called the Preisangabenverordnung, or PAngV.
Since May 2022, prices must show cost per kilogram or liter. This makes it easy to compare package sizes and brands.
How Much Have Grocery Prices Increased in Germany? ->
There are different ways to spot shrinkflation in grocery products:
- Compare the unit price (Grundpreis), not the shelf price.
- Check the price per kilogram, liter, or 100 grams on the shelf tag.
- Watch for new package shapes or thinner bars on familiar products.
- Save receipts or photos so you can compare prices over time.
You can report suspected deceptive packaging to your regional Verbraucherzentrale.
Calls to label hidden price increases
Consumer groups want a mandatory label on shrunk products. The label would stay on the package for 12 months.
More than 37,000 people have signed a petition for this rule. The Federal Environment Ministry has drafted a related proposal.
France and Brazil both require this kind of label. Germany has no such requirement yet.
NOTE: The mandatory labeling proposal is not law yet. The Federal Environment Ministry has only published a draft policy paper.
