Spotlight ECONOMY | INFLATION The quiet way grocery brands charge you more for less Marcia Greenwood Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Apr 25, 2026 Apr 25, 2026 Updated May 24, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Your grocery bill keeps getting bigger but you may not have noticed that, simultaneously, some food packages are getting smaller.kAmp ?6H 2?2=JD:D 3J x?G6DE@CD~3D6CG6C EC24<65 E96 AC:46D 2?5 A24<286 D:K6D @7 p>6C:42’D >@DE A@AF=2C 8C@46CJ 3C2?5D 7C@> a_a_ E@ a_ae]k^AmkAm%96 7:?2?4:2= E649?@=@8J 4@>A2?J 7@F?5 E96 2G6C286 72>:=J @7 7@FC ?@H DA6?5D Sfc` >@C6 2 J62C E92? :? a_a_ 7@C E96 6I24E D2>6 8C@46C:6D[ 2?5 Sc` @7 E92E :?4C62D6 :D 2EEC:3FE23=6 E@ A24<286\D:K6 564C62D6D]k^AmkAmxE’D 42==65 D9C:?<7=2E:@? — H96? 3C2?5D 5@?’E ;FDE C2:D6 AC:46D 3FE AFE =6DD AC@5F4E :? E96 D2>6 A24<286 2?5 9@A6 4@?DF>6CD H@?’E ?@E:46]k^Am People are also reading… Nebraska football wide receiver target cancels weekend visit Nebraska DED official who guided multimillion-dollar state grant program leaves for Omaha post Dan Oborn hosts roundtable with Omaha small business owners Goodwill opens new thrift and donation center in north Lincoln Papillion's Shadow Lake gets new owner, which plans new tenants Nebraska's Jordy Frahm joins softball team coaching staff as assistant LFR investigating grenade found at Lincoln Goodwill store He loved frogs, big hugs: After act of bravery, 8-year-old is buried in Lincoln. Way-too-early, way-too-specific Super Bowl 61 prediction: Will Seahawks repeat? After Brendan Sorsby ruling, Nebraska A.D. Troy Dannen directs coaches: Don't schedule Texas Tech Social media reacts to Nebraska softball's pitching coach retiring Tiny town Weston defies the odds, is celebrating 150 years One dead overnight after car flips, catches fire in north Lincoln Longtime Lincoln restaurant Ali Baba Gyros opening 2nd location. Here's where. New Lincoln road closures could affect how you get around kAm“}@ @?6 :D DFCAC:D65 3J 8C@H:?8 AC:46D E96D6 52JD[ 3FE E96 :DDF6 H:E9 D9C:?<7=2E:@? :D E96 D:=6?46 2C@F?5 :E[” D2:5 $2> q@FC8:[ D6?:@C 2?2=JDE 2E x?G6DE@CD~3D6CG6C] “*@F 42? 4=62C=J D66 H96? 82D AC:46D 8C@H @C C6?E C:D6D — 3FE :? E9:D 42D6[ J@F 5@?’E ?@E:46 H96? J@F DE2CE E@ @G6CA2J 7@C =6DD] xE =2?5D 92C56DE @? E9@D6 H9@ 42? 277@C5 E96 =62DE]”k^Am By 2024, a Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Breakfast Cereal family-sized box shrank to 21.7 ounces. Adobe Stock k9am$@>6 7:?5:?8Dk^9amkAm∎ x? a_a`[ 2 `d]d\@F?46 328 @7 }249@ r966D6 s@C:E@D 4@DE Sc]fh] x? a_aa[ E96 D2>6 328 4@DE Sd]hh] x? a_ab[ E96 AC:46 DE2J65 E96 D2>6[ 3FE E96 328 D9C2?< E@ `c]d @F?46D] xE ?@H 4@DED Se]eh]k^Am kAm∎ x? a_aa[ 2 ac\@F?46 3@I @7 z6==@88’D uC@DE65 u=2<6D qC62<72DE r6C62= H2D Sb]hg] qJ a_ac[ E96 D2>6 72>:=J\D:K65 3@I D9C2?< E@ a`]f @F?46D 2?5 4@DE Sd]cg] x? a_ad[ E96 AC:46 76== hT E@ Sc]hg[ 3FE E96 D:K6 C6>2:?65 a`]f @F?46D]k^Am kAm∎ !C:46D 7@C |U2>Aj|D C@D6 DE625:=J 7C@> a_a_ E9C@F89 a_ab] x? a_ac[ 42?5J>2<6C |2CD D9C2?< E96 328 7C@> `h]a @F?46D E@ `g]_g @F?46D H9:=6 AC:46D 4@?E:?F65 E@ C:D6] qJ a_ae[ 2 328 @7 |U2>Aj|’D 4@DE Sh]ch[ FA 7C@> Sc]hh :? a_a_]k^AmkAm“xE :D 2 =@E >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ ?@E:46 492?86D :? D:K6 E92? :? AC:46[” q@FC8: D2:5]k^Am kAmx?G6DE@CD~3D6CG6CUCDBF@jD 7:?5:?8D 2C6 32D65 @? C6E2:= D96=7 AC:46D 2?5 ?6E H6:89E :? @F?46D 4@==64E65 7@C 6249 AC@5F4E 7C@> (2J324< |249:?6 D?2AD9@ED @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^%2C86E]4@>Qm%2C86E]4@>k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^(2=>2CE]4@>Qm(2=>2CE]4@>k^2m AC@5F4E 2?5 42E68@CJ A286D]k^AmkAmrFCC6?E C6E2:= AC:46D H6C6 4@==64E65 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^%2C86E]4@>Qm%2C86E]4@>k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^(2=>2CE]4@>Qm(2=>2CE]4@>k^2m :? u63CF2CJ] p??F2= AFC492D6 7C6BF6?4:6D 7@C 2 9@FD69@=5 @7 7@FC H6C6 56C:G65 7C@> ?2E:@?2= A6C 42A:E2 4@?DF>AE:@? 52E2[ D42=65 E@ 7@FC A6@A=6]k^Am Coca-Cola sells the same drink in several sizes at several different prices. Adobe Stock k9am~?6 AC@5F4Ek^9amkAmr@42\r@=2 E6==D E96 >@DE 4@>A=6E6 D9C:?<7=2E:@? DE@CJ :? E96 2?2=JD:D[ x?G6DE@CD~3D6CG6C D2:5[ 3642FD6 :E D6==D E96 D2>6 5C:?< :? D6G6C2= D:K6D 2E D6G6C2= 5:776C6?E AC:46D]k^AmkAmp a\=:E6C 3@EE=6 @7 r@<6 4@DE S`]gh :? a_a_] %@52J :E’D Sa]fh — 2 cgT :?4C62D6 @G6C D:I J62CD]k^Am kAm%96 `a\A24< @7 42?D — E96 7@C>2E >@DE p>6C:42? 72>:=:6D C6249 7@C — ;F>A65 7C@> Sc]gh E@ Sg]gh[ 2? gaT AC:46 :?4C62D6 D:?46 a_a_]k^Am Food & Drink Red Lobster brings back 'Endless Shrimp' despite bankruptcy claims GRETA CROSS USA Today kAmr@<6 :? >:?: 42?D :D E96 4@DE=:6DE @AE:@?] r@42\r@=2 288C6DD:G6=J AFD965 :ED f]d\@F?46 “A@CE:@? 4@?EC@=” 7@C>2E :? C646?E J62CD[ >2C<6E:?8 :E 2D 2 D>2CE6C[ 962=E9:6C 49@:46]k^Am kAmr@?DF>6CD H9@ 3FJ E96 `_\A24< @7 >:?: 42?D 7@C Se]hh A2J `aeT >@C6 A6C @F?46 E92? D9@AA6CD H9@ 3FJ E96 a\=:E6C 3@EE=6]k^AmkAmx? y2?F2CJ a_ae[ r@42\r@=2 6IA2?565 E96 :?5:G:5F2= >:?: 42? 7@C>2E E@ 4@?G6?:6?46 DE@C6D ?2E:@?H:56]k^AmkAm%96 >:?: 42?D C6E2:= 7@C S`]ah 6249[ H9:49 H@C<D @FE E@ `a]d 46?ED A6C @F?46] r@>A2C6 E92E H:E9 b 46?ED A6C @F?46 7@C 2 a\=:E6C 3@EE=6]k^Am kAm“%96 D:>A=6DE 25G:46 H6 42? 8:G6 2?J r@42\r@=2 5C:?<6C C:89E ?@Hi qFJ E96 a\=:E6C[” q@FC8: D2:5] “~FC 52E2 D9@HD :E’D E96 36DE G2=F6 7@C>2E 3J 2 H:56 >2C8:?[ 2?5 E92E 82A 92D @?=J 8C@H? D:?46 a_a_]”k^Am Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is one of the brands that hasn’t touched its packaging. Adobe Stock k9am#6D:DE:?8 E96 EC6?5k^9amkAmq6? U2>Aj y6CCJ’D x46 rC62> :D @?6 @7 E96 3C2?5D E92E 92D?’E E@F4965 :ED A24<28:?8] q6EH66? a_a_ 2?5 a_ae[ :E C2:D65 :ED AC:46 A6C A:?E 3J `_]fT[ 7C@> Sc]eh E@ Sd]`h]k^Am kAmqC6J6CD 2?5 wä286?\s2KD 2=D@ 5:5 ?@E 564C62D6 E96 D:K6 @7 E96:C AC@5F4ED 2?5 6?565 a_ae H:E9 AC:46D ``T 2?5 `fT 9:896C[ C6DA64E:G6=J[ E92? :? a_a_[ x?G6DE@CD~3D6CG6C 7@F?5]k^Am kAm“}@ D9C:?<:?8[ ?@ EH@\DE6A DEC2E68J H2D 5@?6[Q E96 C6A@CE D2:5] QyFDE >@56DE[ EC2?DA2C6?E AC:46 :?4C62D6D E92E EC24<65 3C@25=J H:E9 :?7=2E:@?]”k^AmkAm“%92E >2EE6CD 3642FD6 :E AC@G6D E96 D9C:?<7=2E:@? DEC2E68J H2D 2 49@:46[ ?@E 2 ?646DD:EJ[” q@FC8: D2:5] “x7 C:D:?8 4@DED 7@C465 3C2?5D E@ D9C:?< A24<286D[ 6G6CJ 3C2?5 H@F=5 92G6 5@?6 :E] %96J 5:5?VE] $@>6 96=5 E96 =:?6] (9:49 >62?D E96 @?6D E92E 5:5?’E >2<6 2 56=:36C2E6 564:D:@? E@ 8:G6 4@?DF>6CD =6DD H:E9@FE E6==:?8 E96>]”k^Am 0 Comments The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story America barely uses OPEC oil. Why are gas prices so high? The United States is less reliant on foreign oil than at times in the past. Why, then, have gasoline prices gone through the roof at America’s pumps? Escrow shortages surge, another sign of the housing crisis Even as the vast majority of Americans continue to opt for fixed-rate mortgages, the ancillary costs of ownership fluctuate, mainly upward. New TrumpIRA plan aims to reach workers without 401(k)s Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will broaden access to retirement savings for workers whose employers don’t offer 401(k)-type plans. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio | All Of Our Podcasts Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video CWS bracket breakdown with Tom, Gary and Evan | Pick Six Podcast Chief ribbon cutting Chief ribbon cutting People attend College World Series Fan Fest People attend College World Series Fan Fest Nebraska Reptiles Nebraska Reptiles
Food & Drink Red Lobster brings back 'Endless Shrimp' despite bankruptcy claims GRETA CROSS USA Today
America barely uses OPEC oil. Why are gas prices so high? The United States is less reliant on foreign oil than at times in the past. Why, then, have gasoline prices gone through the roof at America’s pumps?
Escrow shortages surge, another sign of the housing crisis Even as the vast majority of Americans continue to opt for fixed-rate mortgages, the ancillary costs of ownership fluctuate, mainly upward.
New TrumpIRA plan aims to reach workers without 401(k)s Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will broaden access to retirement savings for workers whose employers don’t offer 401(k)-type plans.
