Shrinkflation Fail? Guy's Box Lunch Comes With Picture of a Cookie, Rather Than Actual Cookie

In a kooky turn of events, Reddit user u/GeezusKreist shared an experience that struck a chord with the forum, earning 89K upvotes. The post, titled "Box lunch from sandwich shop comes with picture of a cookie, rather than an actual cookie," includes a photo of a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a circular cut-out image of a cookie instead of the real thing.

Though this seemed like a comedy of errors, Redditors had a lot to say on the subject. The top commenter, with 7.6K upvotes, encapsulated the sentiment perfectly: "Oh my… The disappointment is real."

Another user suggested a solution: "Time to print this photo out and return it for a full refund." A third commenter hilariously warned, "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE! ITS A COOKIE TODAY, THEN NEXT WEEK THEY'RE SLEEPING WITH YOUR SPOUSE!"

This incident, while mostly lighthearted, inadvertently speaks to a serious issue affecting consumers everywhere: shrinkflation.

For reference, shrinkflation is a subtle form of inflation where the size or quantity of a product is reduced while its price remains the same.

This practice has become increasingly noticeable in the post-pandemic world, especially between 2023 and 2024. Companies facing rising costs of materials, labor, and logistics often resort to shrinkflation to maintain their profit margins without obviously raising prices.

The pandemic exacerbated these economic pressures with supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages, driving companies to sneakily pass costs to consumers. While technically legal, shrinkflation raises serious ethical concerns about consumer deception and the erosion of purchasing power.

The trend speaks to broader inflationary pressures as the global economy continues to adjust to post-pandemic norms. Shrinkflation has been particularly evident in the food and drink sector, where consumers are likely to notice changes in product size. Skittles, Coca-Cola, and Aunt Jemima have all been called out on social media for this trend.

This practice not only affects the quantity of goods but also its perceived value, leading to consumer distrust. The sandwich shop’s “decision” to substitute a real cookie with a photo of a cookie, although most likely a lunchtime fail, showcases the absurdity and frustration that shrinkflation can cause.

As the cost of living continues to rise, consumers may encounter more instances of shrinkflation and should keep their eyes peeled for it.

Calling out the trend forces companies to take action. Even Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster called out shrinkflation which actually caused the White House to respond.

"Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller," the cookie-munching muppet announced on X recently. "Guess me going to have to eat double da cookies!" the puppet told his 626,000 followers. Paper cookies …Cookie Monster … serendipity?

According to the USDA, food inflation saw massive spikes since 2021. While the rate of inflation itself slowed down in 2024, the government agency projected that overall, prices of goods and services would continue to climb throughout 2024: "Food prices are expected to continue to decelerate in 2024 compared to recent years. In 2024, prices for all food are predicted to increase 2.2 percent, with a prediction interval of 1.2 to 3.2 percent."

CFO Dive predicts that inflation will continue to slow heading into 2025: "Dive Brief: After quickening during the first quarter, inflation will probably slow for the remainder of this year and ease near the Federal Reserve's 2% goal during 2025, economists said in a Wolters Kluwer survey...."

According to ABC News, the vast majority of surveyed Americans trust former president Donald Trump to help quell inflation woes more so than current president Joe Biden, presumably because the United States experienced a 40-year inflation high the same year the latter was sworn into office.

To cap it off, while shrinkflation may seem like a minor inconvenience, it's an issue which carries weight for everyday folks. Whether it’s smaller portions or paper-cut-out cookies, forums like Reddit and TikTok remain powerful platforms for folks to take to the internet, call out a problem, and drive companies to listen and make change.

It does seem that one Redditor did manage to solve the mystery of the cookie, as there were several people who stated that the deli in question doesn't advertise that its meals come with a cookie. One person remarked that the reason for the printed cookie paper was that it was a coupon for a free cookie.

"Nah. Those meals don’t come with cookies and are advertised as a sandwich, chips, and a pickle. The other side of that cookie paper is a coupon for a free cookie, but OP didn’t bother to include that in the post."

If folks are being offered a free cookie, however, why not just package the meal with one? What do you think?