Holiday shopping lists are coming with heftier price tags this year, and not just because of obvious price hikes.
Companies are also using sneaky tactics to charge more while keeping sticker prices the same.
"I have noticed a size change in some of the things — for a higher price," said shopper Debbie Ostling.
WATCH: A financial expert shows us the hidden inflation you may not notice at first:
Types of Hidden Inflation
Paul Ricci, CEO of the financial services company Best Egg, said traditional inflationary price hikes are obvious and easy to spot.
"What's a little harder to track is when prices are staying the same, but you're getting less product, you're getting worse quality, you are getting less service," Ricci said.
Customers don’t like seeing higher prices, which is why companies turn to hidden forms of inflation:
- Shrinkflation: Paying the same price for a smaller size or smaller amount
- Skimpflation: Paying the same price for lower quality
- Sneakflation: Paying the same price with fewer perks, such as airlines charging extra for seat selection and carry-on bags.
Research from Capital One Shopping found shrinkflation, which increases the cost per unit, averaged more than 16% among national grocery brands in 2024.
The study revealed significant size reductions across popular products. For example:
- Peanut butter shrank 36% or 3.2 ounces
- Boxes of protein bars shrank 20% or two bars
- Toilet paper shrank by 13% or 37 sheets.
Spotting hidden inflation
Ricci suggests shoppers read reviews to see if what they're paying matches their expectations.
"If you’re not getting the product for your dollar today as you were before, that should affect your decision to buy their product," Ricci said.
To combat hidden inflation, Ricci urges shoppers to look at product labels and unit sizes and prepare their finances for higher costs.
"Make sure you have a plan to manage the debt that you have, not add to that debt, and work within the budget with those constraints," Ricci said.
IN RELATED NEWS | Brand name vs. generic medication: how to save money without sacrificing effectiveness
Shopper Larissa England is noticing higher costs during her holiday shopping.
"Especially those high-end toys, way overpriced," she said.
She adopted a practical money-saving approach for her family.
"Make sure we cut down on what we do buy, let the kids know it is a different type of year, different type of time," England said.
That way, you don’t waste your money.
______________________________
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
______________________________
"Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").
