Lurpak has reduced the size of its block of butter by 20% even though prices of the brand have infamously skyrocketed over the last year.
The popular butter brand's, which is owned by Arla Foods, unsalted block has gone from 250g to 200g - even though prices have shot up by around 15% over the last year - the startling rise in cost has continued to make headlines over the last 12 months.
According to analysts at Trolley.co.uk, the cheapest 250g pack of Lurpak’s unsalted butter used to cost around 90p per 100g, but the cheapest 200g pack now costs £0.95 per 100g.
The lowest price for the 200g block is now around £1.90, compared with £2.25 for 250g.
Just last week it was announced that food inflation remained at record-high levels of 17.1%.
Many shoppers have taken to social media to express their frustration about the change with many calling the move "sneaky" and a few shared that they would not be buying the brand going forward.
Twitter user @LakeThomasCakes tweeted Lurpak's owner Arla Foods: "@ArlaDairyUK @Lurpak why are your new packaging is just 200g.
"Cannot see the justification on dropping 50g. You are still expensive and now have annoyed me as a bespoke wedding cake maker. #bringback250g"
Another user, @ali_earl said: "So @Lurpak, yes you look like one of the cheaper brands of butter on the shelf but you have reduced your pack size from 250g to 200g.
"Did you think we wouldn’t notice!"
Another, @MoonieNo5 said: "Latest sneaky #shrinkflation by @Lurpak - yeah, 200g so lost 50g. Nice 20% reduction. Total bandits."
Twitter user @JaneReynolds8 said: "Making a cake at my customer’s house. Thought I’d measured 150g wrong, until I saw the pack’s 200g. That’s Lurpak off my shopping list. Only ever used this for cooking & I’m 64 now.
"It’s outrageous. They take us for fools."
The brand owner Arla Foods said that it had started phasing out the 250g packs for its Lurpak and Anchor brands of butter last month.
Shrinkflation happens when a product gets smaller in weight, size or quantity while its price stays the same or even increases.
It's essentially a hidden form of inflation; while it may not look as if prices have gone up, the price per unit of weight or volume has risen.
The strategy is used to boost or maintain profit margins and is mainly utilised by companies in the food and drink industry.
Shrinkflation may seem sneaky but is not illegal - this is because producers will still continue to indicate the weight, volume or quantity on their packaging so technically they are not misleading their customers.
In a statement, Danny Micklethwaite, VP of marketing at Arla Foods said: "Since April 17 2023, shoppers will have seen a pack reduction for our 250g block butter packs of Lurpak and Anchor.
“We’re aware that the cost-of-living crisis has put pressure on shoppers’ available spend, and we want to make our price points more accessible for shoppers, which we believe can be achieved, by reducing our pack sizes.
“There are many different factors that affect the price consumers pay in store, but pricing is set by the retailers themselves, and we work extremely closely with our retail partners to ensure we deliver tasty, quality dairy at the best possible price for both shoppers and our farmer owners.”
