- Smart Balance’s latest formula was reviewed by angry customers who left hundreds of one-star reviews.
- The company accepted to reverse the changes and return to the original formula.
- This is an example in “skimpflation”, where cheaper ingredients are substituted without notifying customers.
The battle against inflation is over for consumers. Smart Balance pushing back on an ingredient modification in Smart Balance’s butter replacement.
Conagra recently The Smart Balance butter substitute recipe has been modifiedFrom 64% to 39% vegetable oil [it]Insider was told by a spokesperson that the change is easier to spread.” Customers were quick to notice the changes. You can leave hundreds of negative reviews about Smart Balance on their website.991 out of 1008 reviews on the butter substitute were one-star, with complaints about changes to the formula.
One customer said, “Hard pass on it, going to look for an alternative product. Super disappointed.” Another wrote that product change made this tasteless and disgusting. It is a waste of money.”, along with hundreds of other similar complaints.
Conagra was aware of customers’ protests and agreed to reverse their course.
Insider was told by a spokesperson that “We have listened to consumers” and would be returning to the old recipes within the next few months.
The recent trend of “skimpflation,” which was coined by, is the formula change. Edgar Dworsky, blogger and consumer advocate.Dworsky describes the term “reformulated” as products that are “reformulated in a way, often with less expensive components and sometimes by using more. substituting cheaper ingredients.”
Skimpflation goes hand-in-hand with shrinkflationAnother way that companies can save money is to use shrinkflation. With shrinkflation, manufacturers make subtle changes to products, like making candy bars sold in multipacks smaller than ones being sold individually, or changing the shape of their products so you can barely notice the difference in weight while paying the original price.
Inflation has reached a 40-year high According to the Consumer Price IndexThe US Bureau of Labor Statistics uses this data to monitor inflation. Inflation is a rise in labor costs. Ingredient costs are risingCompanies are being pushed to engage in shrinkflation/skimpflation by all parties, but this case shows customers that they have the ability to resist these changes.
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