You know what shrinkflation is, what is trickflation?

We all know what inflation is, right? The cost of goods and services is increasing over time. And for most of us. Our income remains static, so our purchasing power decreases.  

Then a few years ago we had shrinkflation. This is where the size or weight of a product gets smaller, but the price stays the same. Again, your purchasing power decreases. 

Now comes something interesting that is being called trickflation. For lack of a better description. This is where a company takes a product or brand. And changes the shape or graphics to make it look different (larger than it really is.) Then even though it is the same volume, they charge you more money for it. How is this happening? 

According to msn.com,
“The post on Reddit featured images of two cans of Coca-Cola, each boasting 12 ounces of the drink. However, one of them was a wider shorted can which is the old can of Coca-Cola and the other one is the new can which is slimmer and taller. The Redditor claimed that while the shorter one costs $1.06, the new slim version costs upwards of $2.37 despite containing the same amount.” 

Now I must ask where the prices came from for this comparison. On some level, I find it difficult to believe that. Coca-Cola would mark up the same product almost 123%. So now I feel compelled to go to the local grocery store and see if I can find this happening here. 

Here is what I found.

First off, I went to Safeway and Albertsons and I did not find the long, narrow cans of Coke in either store. What I did find was minor discrepancies in the cost per oz depending on the size of the container and the number of containers per pack. 

The 7.5 oz 6 pack (cans) penciled out to 12.1 cents per oz.
The 12 ounce 8 pack. (Bottles). Penciled out to 10.2 cents per oz.
These 16.9 oz, 6 pack (bottles) penciled out to 8.4 cents per oz.
And the best deal? Was the 12 oz. 12 pack. (Cans). At $0.07 per oz. 

So our conclusion is, at least at Safeway and Albertson's in Wenatchee WA there is no trickflation. So, our guy on Reddit must have bought from a really flaky store. 

sorry dude.

After Shrinkflation, Coca-Cola's New Can Design Sparks Discussion on 'Trickflation' (msn.com) 

'Trickflation' Is Ripping Customers Off. What Is It? (dailydot.com)